La Fête de la Musique 2025

Every year on 21st June, cities and towns across France—from Paris to Montpellier, Lyon to Lille—come alive with music. The event, known as La Fête de la Musique, transforms streets, parks, cafés, and courtyards into open-air stages where amateurs and professionals alike share their sound with the public. Under the slogan Faites de la musique - a homophone of Fête de la Musique - Musicians perform in stadiums, bars, metro stations, and village squares—often for free—while the public is encouraged to join in too, whether that means singing from a balcony, strumming a guitar in the garden or putting some music on in the garden.

Hundreds of established artists are due to perform this year. Among them are Jeanne en Trio, the Havana Brass Band and the soul-funk artists Papa Soul Club. The event is truly massive, and every genre under the sun is represented in some capacity, so there's something for everyone.

Some of the upcoming highlights of this year's Fête de la Musique in Paris include the following:

• From 2pm, over forty musicians will take over the gardens of the Palais Royal in a joyful mix of fanfares and batucadas (Afro-Brazilian percussion)
• Now in its 11th edition, Viva l’Orchestra! will see the Orchestre des Grands Amateurs de Radio and Orchestre National de France come together to perform a selection of classical music in the Auditorium de Radio France
• The Jardin des Tuileries and Petit Palais will host a mix of genres throughout the evening—from classical to contemporary music
• Between 4pm and 1am, the record label Roche Musique will be hosting a block party featuring DJs from around the world at the restaurant, Baretto
• The Fête de la Musique is a global celebration, and it isn't just French music being played. Expect to hear Swedish folk music and sample Swedish cuisine at the Swedish Institute and traditional Arabic music at the Institut du Monde Arabe

There's much more of course, with events ranging across the country - you can see the full itinerary on the website - but there are also often surprise acts too.

La Fête de la Musique is now in its 43rd year, having started in 1982 when Jack Lang, then France’s Minister of Culture, and Maurice Fleuret, a composer and music journalist, launched the idea of a national day celebrating music.

That same year, a study had revealed that half of young people in France played a musical instrument. The report prompted Lang and Fleuret to create a festival where everyone, regardless of ability, could perform and enjoy music freely and informally.

The idea has caught on beyond France, and is now celebrated in dozens of countries worldwide, from Ghana and Ukraine to India and the United States, as well as across the Francophonie. Even in countries where it isn't celebrated, French embassies will often host musical events on this day.