The Fête de la Musique is an annual all-night music competition that takes place all through France on June 21st, the longest day of the yr. Began in 1982 by the French Minister of Tradition Jack Lang, it’s now celebrated in 120 international locations around the globe.
Not Simply Any Music Competition
What makes it particular is that it’s a competition for everybody, the place amateurs {and professional} musicians can each play their music and sing for the general public, who get to take pleasure in music of each type within the streets, in bars, in parks, and even in live performance halls. All the concert events are free, and the entire musicians, irrespective of who they’re, donate their performances.
Noise and Blocked Roads
In case you occur to be in Paris, count on to see musicians beginning to arrange within the early afternoon, and to listen to music on each nook (and presumably the balcony under your window) till the wee hours of the evening. Convey your earplugs when you count on to attempt to sleep!
The six principal metro strains (1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and 14), trams, RERs, evening buses, and Transilien trains might be operating all evening (see the stations within the map under), with a flat fee ticket of €4 legitimate from 5pm on the 21st till 7am on the 22nd.
Don’t overlook that a variety of streets might be blocked off for the road concert events, so it is going to be arduous to get round by taxi or some bus strains (and Vélibs are usually locked down for the evening).
Discovering the Live shows in Paris
There are few locations in Paris you gained’t hear music on the evening of June 21st. You’ll be able to simply stroll round your favourite neighborhood and observe your ears. However when you’re extra discerning or need to be a bit extra proactive, yow will discover live performance listings on the next web sites (you’ll have to auto-translate when you don’t perceive French):
- The Official Fête de la Musique web site has the Ministry of Tradition’s complete program for the Fête de la Musique in France. They’ve an auto-translator on the location, though their search perform is so clunky and gradual, you’ll should be affected person with it (I wouldn’t even try it on a smartphone).
- Fête de la Musique Instagram
- L’Officiel des Spectacles has a reasonably good record (with out annoying advertisements), organized by arrondissement, with particular occasions and even the kind of music by coloration code.
- Fête de la Musique web site for Paris, on Metropolis Corridor’s web site, solely exhibits just a few concert events, nevertheless it has a useful map.
- Time Out Paris lists a dozen concert events with full descriptions, together with ones on the Gaîté Lyrique, on the Chalet des Iles within the Bois de Vincennes, within the Parc de la Villette, in Saint-Eustache Church, on the Level Ephémère, and the Olympia live performance corridor.
Need to Play Your Music?
You don’t really must register to play on the Fête de la Musique, however your live performance might be listed on the official program when you do (no less than per week upfront): https://fetedelamusique.tradition.gouv.fr/en/en-pratique/espace-organisateurs/participez-a-l-evenement
