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Planning to attend Acoustics for Autism or support Project iAm? We’ve pulled together the most common questions to help you feel confident, informed, and ready to be part of something meaningful. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, we’re always happy to help.

What is Acoustics for Autism?

Acoustics for Autism is a free, family-friendly music festival that brings the community together for a full day of music, connection, and purpose in the heart of Uptown Maumee. Local and regional musicians perform across multiple stages, filling the streets with energy while guests explore shops, restaurants, and gathering spots throughout the district.

More than just a festival, Acoustics for Autism exists to raise awareness and support Project iAm, helping provide resources, scholarships, and opportunities for local families impacted by autism. Every song played and every moment shared helps turn a day of great music into meaningful impact—making it an experience you’ll feel good about long after the last note is played.

📅 Date: March 1, 2026
📍 Location: Uptown Maumee
300 block of Conant Street and beyond

🎟️ Admission: Free • All ages welcome

🎶 Music Schedule:
Live music begins on select stages at 11:45 AM and continues throughout the day until The Village Idiot closes the night.

Common Questions.

Project iAm is the charity that presents Acoustics for Autism!  We are a 100% volunteer-based organization–just a good group of people who work full time jobs and found that out of pocket expenses for Autism related therapies and goods were not being covered. This organization is run out of a house and on a computer so we save money by not paying salaries, office space, etc. All of the money that is raised after operating expenses for the events we do goes into a scholarship fund and that money is distributed to children living in our area for their out of pocket expenses.  We pay the bills directly so we know (and more importantly, YOU KNOW) the money goes exactly where it is intended. We do not support one treatment or therapy or Provider over another. We believe parents are the people in the best position to let us know what works for their child–we just help pay the bills.  So you can be assured that parents and doctors are working together and the money provided for children’s care is carefully monitored. We’ve distributed over 1.3 million dollars to area families and keep going!  We are a one-of-a kind charity and event that no one else in the city matches–we have been told by Rolling Stone magazine that we are the largest free, single day event in the country!

IT’S REALLY FREE!!

Well we make money on a LOT of things like our awesome Silent Auction, beer sales, vendor fees, the best merchandise in the world, and activities like the vault and other raffles!

BECAUSE IT REALLY IS.  We have 3 distinct kid areas for your choosing. 

  1. The Wayne Street Tent is dedicated to the Kid’s area with crafts and acoustics music provided by musicians from 12-5 pm.  There IS a separate small beer tent on Wayne Street so parents can enjoy a beverage if they choose.  Pick this area if your child wants to be in a busy environment with music and other children.  This area is run by Toledo Public School Teachers.
  2. The Sensory Friendly area WITHIN the event–Sunshine Art Studio on the corner of W. Wayne and Conant. There is no music inside this venue and there are sensory friendly activities available for kids from ASNO. Note–this is within the event, but inside and isolated for a calmer environment. 
  3. The Maumee Theater–choose this location if your child does not do well with crowds and noise. ASNO will provide crafts and there will be light acoustic music provided by musicians with backgrounds in Autism Music Therapy. We will be showing “Trolls Band Together” at 2pm!  Be sure to catch Kaiden Chase who will be putting on a Music Therapy Demo from 12-1230!

See more information here.

While we understand that parking can be tricky and the roads within Uptown Maumee are closed, we have provided shuttles for the last 5 years provided by Childers Transportation. The shuttle pick up and drop off is located behind the Speedway on Conant (the old 5/3 Bank lot)

  1. Hollywood Casino–right off I75–the back lot/bus stop of Hollywood Casino is providing a FREE shuttle for our patrons. This shuttle’s first pick up is at 11:30am and on the :30 of every hour and the pick up from AFA will be on the :00 of every hour.  The last drop off will be 11:00pm.
  2. Leroy and Margarets–on the corner of Reynolds and Heatherdowns (right off I80/90 and near US23) will be provided for FREE  to anyone who makes a minimum $10 purchase inside Leroy and Margaret’s. (If you don’t wish to make a purchase inside, you can pay your driver $10 CASH ONLY directly for a round trip ticket).  This shuttle’s first pick up is at 11:30am and on the :30 of every hour until 7:30 pm and the pick up from AFA will be on the :00 of every hour with the last drop off being 8:00 pm.
  3. The Anderson’s (old lot) at 532 Illinois near Belle Tire–just off US 23. This works as an “extended lot” with constant pick up and drop off for $5 CASH ONLY  round trip beginning at 11:00 am and last drop off being 11:00 pm. You will pay your driver directly.
  4. Ye Olde Cock n Bull will have ONE pickup promptly at 11:00 am with ONE drop off at 8:00 pm–this is provided by the Hollywood Casino  and will go directly from Cock n Bull to Hollywood Casino to AFA.  Downtown residents are encouraged to catch this one time shuttle OR take any of the other available shuttles directly from The Hollywood Casino.

Well, this event will NEVER move from the first Sunday in March. There are a lot of reasons why, but the primary reason is that the event and Project iAm began as a birthday gift from one friend to another to honor a child with ASD and the financial struggles that families have with out of pocket expenses. You certainly can’t change someone’s birthday, and we aren’t changing the birth of AFA. We understand that March CAN be cold. We’ve had every kind of weather from tornadoes to blizzards and sunny 60 degree days!  THAT’s what our conglomeration of heated tents are for!  Virtually every area of the event is covered in tents that are, of course, heated, or inside buildings, with the only exception being Conant St. 

First and foremost, we exist on our volunteers. Project iAm is 100% volunteer-based and has been extremely successful over the last 19 years because of the loyalty we have to those who are loyal to us. There are musicians that donate more than their time that day to the event–they volunteer in other capacities, they solicit donations and do press, they have been a part of the iAm family for a long, long time. Therefore, we generally will offer a spot BACK to an act that has played from the year before.  It is VERY difficult to expand, but we find a way to do it. When we do, we choose musicians based on, not just their popularity, but their set up. We certainly can’t put a 5 piece band with a Neil Peart drum kit and blazing amps on a new stage that can fit 2 people and acoustic guitars.  Not to mention, our soundmen volunteer their time and equipment, so what they say GOES!  We aim to make our soundmen’s lives as easy as possible, so we think we do a darn good job fitting 107 musical acts on 10 stages!

Aside from the Kid’s tent on W. Wayne St., we PROMISE you will not miss the mass tetris of tents!  All you need to do is walk down the bricked alley between The Village Idiot and Buster Browns and  you will immediately enter into our world of tents!  You can also get access from W. Dudley St, and The Maumee Elks.  Please check out our map!

We assure you that we have people walking around selling raffle tickets, vault keys, and merchandise all day, however, the stationary locations are as follows:

  1. Merchandise:  The main merchandise booth is in between the two main tents behind the Village Idiot.  Just start walking through and before you get to the Bier Garden, you’ll see us on the south side!
  2. Merchandise is also available in limited quantities and styles on Conant Street until 3pm and on W. Wayne in the Kids tent until 4pm
  3. Raffle Central:  Raffle Central is located in the tent closest to the back of Buster Browns and The Village Idiot.  You can purchase a plethora of things until 7pm!
  4. Silent Auction:  The Silent Auction Tent is directly behind Dibling Flooring off the tent that houses the Micki Smith/Silent Auction Stage.  It is completely electronic and you can register BEFORE the event and start bidding on February 23 at 9am!  The Silent Auction ends at 5pm on March 1 and winners are expected to pay on site either electronically or in cash/check and retrieve their winning items before 7pm. 

Please visit direct link and check out the Silent Auction!