Fete De La Musique - June 21

Everyone around me seems to be leaving lately. Leaving the city, the country, my entourage, my heart. The French say Partir c'est mourir un peu, or leaving is like dying a little. But François de la Rochefoucauld also said that  the only thing constant in life is change. Both are very true. I am counting on summer to provide me with enough vitamin D and some distractions. There is nothing quite like summer, its festivals, its hot nights and light vibe to lift the spirits. And as  much as I love nature, I actually love summer in Paris. There is so much to do, and everything is free! Jazz festivals, movie screenings, expositions, Paris Plage....

One of my favorite days of the year in Paris is June 21st. Fête de la Musique, or the Music Festival falls on that day and has basically become an official holiday. It is like nothing else I have ever seen. My first time ever was when I was eighteen and made a permanent impression which is with me till this very day.

The idea was first  taken up by French Music and Dance director Maurice ce Fleuret for Minister of Culture Jack Lang  in 1981 and first took place in 1982. It promotes music in that amateur and professional musicians are encouraged and invited to perform in the streets. People with little or a lot of experience descend on the streets with their instruments and literally start jamming. Others watch and listen and dance! Secondly, popular bands from eclectic to pop are playing free concerts at all the local venues and at more popular locations accessible to the public. Two of the caveats to being sanctioned by the official Fête de la Musique organization in Paris are that all concerts must be free to the public, and all performers donate their time for free.

Despite there being a large tolerance about the performance of music by the general public of amateurs in public areas after usual hours, the noise restrictions still apply, and can cause some establishments to be forbidden to open and broadcast music out of their doors without prior authorization. But the night is still long, wild and loud!
Forget about Taxis, they are all taken. It's best to wear flats and just get lost in the streets and wonder from concert to concert, but the metro is open past its usual hours for those who want to cover more ground.  Every newspaper prints a formal schedule of all of the concerts big and small. You will find everything from Waltz to electro. Check it out and it will be one night you will not forget

The Fête de la Musique began in France and has since spread to many countries around the world, obviously!

www.fetedelamusique