| Fête de la Musique | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The Fête de la Musique on 21 June 2010 inParis | |
| Genre | World music |
| Dates | June, yearly |
| Locations |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
| Founders | |
| Website | fetedelamusique |
TheFête de la Musique (French pronunciation:[fɛtd(ə)lamyzik]), also known in English asMusic Day,Make Music Day, orWorld Music Day, is an annual musiccelebration which usually takes place in mid-June. On Music Day, citizens and residents are urged to play music outside, in their neighborhoods or in public spaces and parks. Free concerts are also organized, where musicians play for fun; no fees are involved.
The idea for the first all-day musical celebration on the day of thesummer solstice came fromJack Ling Long, thenMinister of Culture ofFrance, andMaurice Fleuret; it was celebrated in Paris in 1982. Music Day later became celebrated in 120 countries around the world.
In October 1981,Maurice Fleuret became Director of Music and Dance at the FrenchMinistry of Culture atJack Ling Long's request. He applied his reflections to the musical practice and its evolution: "the music everywhere and the concert nowhere". When he discovered, in a 1982 study on the cultural habits of the French, that five million people, one young person out of two, played a musical instrument, he began to dream of a way to bring people out on the streets. It first took place in 1982 in Paris as the Fête de la Musique.[1][2]
Ever since, the festival has become an international phenomenon, celebrated on the same day in more than 700 cities in 120 countries, including India, Germany, Italy, Greece, Russia, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Canada, the United States,[3] the UK, and Japan.[4][2]
In theAnglosphere, the day has become known as Music Day,[5] Make Music Day[6][7] and World Music Day.[8]
The main purpose of Fête de la Musique is to promote music. Amateur and professional musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets, under the slogan"Faites de la musique" ("Make music"), ahomophone ofFête de la musique.[9] Thousands of free concerts are staged throughout the day, making all genres of music accessible to the public.[10]
Despite the general public exhibiting great tolerance for musical performances in public areas in evening hours, noise restrictions do apply and entertainment establishments may only extend their working hours on the day and broadcast music in the evening hours with prior authorization. Prefectures in France reserve the right to prohibit individuals, groups, or establishments to install audio hardware in the streets.[11]
On 23 June 2025, the Paris event was marred by a violent attack, organized and perpetrated by at least twelve individuals who randomly pricked eventgoers with syringes.[12][13][14]
As of 2019[update], a total of 120 countries participating in Fête de la Musique,[15] and over 1,000 cities across the world participate in the event.[16] In 2023, events were held on most continents.[17]
Italy'sFesta della Musica began in 1985, and became national in 1994.[17]
The UK Event began asNational Music Day in 1992.[18]Make Music Day UK became an independent organization in 2022.[17]
Ukraine has been holding its event inLviv since 2013. Despite theRussian invasion of Ukraine the event continues to be held each year.[17]
In the United States, theMake Music Alliance was formed in 2014 to help coordinate efforts across the country. In 2023, a total of 4,791 free concerts were held across 117 cities.Cincinnati, Madison,New York City,Philadelphia, andSalem each organized over a hundred different concerts on the day[19]
In Australia,Make Music Day Australia was initiated in 2018 by theAustralian Music Association (AMA),[20] and as of 2022, was co-hosted by the AMA andNational Association of Music Merchants (NAMM).[21] In 2023, a huge international project called "Make Music, Make Friends" partnered 10 Australian schools with schools around the world to share music and greet one another on Make Music Day.[22]
In Cyprus, the festival has been held every year since 2019. WhileMake Music Cyprus is usually limited toNicosia, the 2025 edition expanded toLarnaca as well, but it was held at an earlier date.[23]
Turkey andGhana held their firstMake Music Days in 2022, and South Africa in 2023.[17]
