World Music Day, known in France as Fête de la Musique, is celebrated every June 21; the next one is on Monday, June 21, 2027. On this day amateur and professional musicians perform for free in streets, parks, squares and cafés, and anyone is welcome to listen or play.
A French idea that went global
The first Fête de la Musique was held in France in 1982. It was launched by the French Ministry of Culture under minister Jack Lang, with composer and cultural official Maurice Fleuret playing a key role. The goal was simple: encourage everyone, not only professionals, to make music and share it in public.
The name is a play on words. Said aloud, Fête de la Musique (music festival) sounds like Faites de la musique (make music), which became the event’s informal motto. The idea spread quickly across Europe and then to cities on every continent.
Why June 21?
The festival is tied to the June solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, which gives performers the most daylight for outdoor shows. The astronomical solstice can fall on June 20 or 21, but the music day is fixed on June 21 regardless of the weekday.
World Music Day in the US: Make Music Day
In the United States the celebration is usually called Make Music Day. It began as Make Music New York in 2007 and has since spread to many American cities, coordinated by a nonprofit network. Events range from group harmonica lessons and drum circles to front-porch concerts and pop-up performances in subway stations and parks.
How the day works
- Concerts are free to attend and usually held outdoors or in public spaces.
- Performers of every level and style are welcome, from school bands to touring artists.
- Many events are participatory: you can join a mass ukulele session or a community choir.
- It is not a public holiday, so most shows happen in the late afternoon and evening.
Ideas for taking part
If you play
- Register a free performance with your local Make Music or Fête de la Musique organizer.
- Play on your porch, balcony or stoop and invite neighbors.
- Team up with friends for a short set at a café that welcomes live music.
If you listen
- Plan a walking route through several neighborhood stages.
- Try a genre you never listen to; free shows make experimenting easy.
- Bring kids to an instrument-petting zoo or beginner workshop.
In schools and workplaces
Hold a lunchtime jam session, invite a local musician, or create a shared playlist where everyone adds one song that matters to them.
Get ready
There are 236 days left. Share this countdown with your band or choir to keep rehearsals on track, or put it on a screen in full-screen mode at your venue. Midsummer celebrations in Scandinavia and the solstice gatherings at Stonehenge happen around the same time.