Visit us and become part of the heartbeat of Door County’s growing music and art scene
In 2005, Steel Bridge Songfest was created to raise awareness over the plight of our then threatened beloved Steel Bridge that spans the water connecting Sturgeon Bay’s west and east side. The first year presented a weekend festival of performances of local and national talent, including Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Jackson Browne.
The following year, the then “Holiday Motel” was rented to facilitate a bridge-inspired songwriting retreat for the festival also known as “The Construction Zone.” From that spark, a group rallied to recruit like-minded investors to purchase The Holiday so that it could remain a hub for attracting talent to the community and by May of 2007 under new ownership it became “The Holiday Music Motel.”
Since 2005, 100s of songwriters, musicians, sound engineers, visual artists, social activists and myriad others have been brought together to collaborate in ways they never imagined through the mission of The Holiday Music Motel. With great pride, The Holiday has played an instrumental role helping to save Sturgeon Bay’s beloved steel bridge and in giving a voice to an historic granary fighting for its survival on Sturgeon Bay’s working waterfront.
The energy of the relationships developed through The Holiday Music Motel resonate throughout the world as they carry those experiences forward, their lives forever changed by the power of what can be achieved when you dream and work together.
‘Holiday Music Motel’ is a band with over 200 members, named after the motel where they’ve written and recorded over 1500 new and original songs from the three annual music festivals taking place from 2006-2021: Steel Bridge Songfest, Dark Songs and Love On Holiday.
Over twenty albums have been created from these events available through Bandcamp while The Holiday’s YouTube page showcases music videos, online events, footage from past events and fun archival snippets from the birth of The Holiday to present day endeavors.
Extending The Holiday Music Motel’s mission, The Tambourine Collaboratory–located directly next door to The Holiday–fosters year-round collaboration and enthusiasm within the creative community….
At the heart of it all is The Tambourine Lounge, a non-alcoholic “mocktail” bar with a classic lounge vibe functioning as a social club for its members as well as providing a live music venue for Tambourine Lounge Concerts and our weekly WRiTERS NiGHT open mic.
“Tune in” on your phone, tablet or computer from anywhere in the world for a taste of some of The 1500+ songs that have been produced at The Holiday Music Motel.
As the world’s only motel with its own radio station exclusively broadcasting music that’s created within its own walls, we invite you to join us in Sturgeon Bay to hear (and experience) what makes The Holiday a must-visit destination.
The Holiday Music Motel is proud to collaborate with Steel Bridge Creative Foundation (formerly known as Citizens For Our Bridge), a not-for-profit (501(c)3) dedicated to preserving, promoting, celebrating and supporting the Sturgeon Bay Michigan Street Bridge as well as other significant landmarks located in the Historic Downtown District of Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Through their collective efforts, the organization also focuses on stimulating and fostering the Sturgeon Bay collaborative music and arts scene through community outreach, education, and a vast array of creative events.
The Holiday Music Motel is a one-of-a-kind haven for travelers looking for a unique Door County lodging experience while supporting a mission to inspire and support creativity and the generation of new collaborative original works.
Whether you’re a fan of the arts or a traveler consumed by wanderlust looking for a distinctive lodging experience, there’s no better place than The Holiday Music Motel. Join us, and immerse yourself in an ever-growing, ever-evolving important piece of music history.
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