French Tradition: La Fête De La Musique

To acknowledge the summer solstice on 21st June, the Fête de la Musique is an event aimed at all ages and tastes, the chance to experience, share and discover new and exciting music trends. The gatherings take place throughout the city; streets, parks and courtyards, the most ordinary of spaces transformed into an impromptu music hall. This celebration has become one of the hallmarks of contemporary French culture and marks the definitive arrival of summer.

Jack Lang, Minister of Culture, is responsible for creating the music festival in 1982. The idea of organising a free music festival was put into motion by Maurice Fleuret, Director of Music and Dance, who had observed that one in two French children knew how to play a musical instrument. The music festival has since become an international success and is celebrated on 21st June in 340 cities around the world in countries including Australia, Chile, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

The Fête de la Musique has become one of the country’s greatest cultural events for many reasons. The music festival exudes a cheerful and creative atmosphere, uniting both amateur and professional musicians alike who perform in streets, squares, gardens or courtyards for free, offering the public all types of musical genres. La Fête de la Musique unveils new musical trends from traditional music to rap and techno, and from world music to musical carnival.