Cine-concert at the Nelson Mandela Garden near Les Halles for Paris's 2026 Fête de la Musique

Note: due to the red heatwave alert, some events of the Fête de la musique 2026 may be canceled, postponed, or altered. Check the information before you go.

Every year, the Fête de la Musique takes music out of the concert halls and into public spaces, bringing together artists and curious listeners at open-to-all performances. Born in 1982 at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture, this large, popular festival has become a hallmark of early summer, on June 21—the summer solstice—when streets, squares and gardens turn into open‑air stages.

For this 2026 edition, head to the Nelson-Mandela Garden, in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Nestled between the Canopée des Halles, the Bourse de Commerce and Saint-Eustache church, this expansive 4.3-hectare green space holds a special place in the Parisian cityscape. It marks the transformation of the Halles district, once the capital’s bustling belly, which over the decades has evolved into a major urban crossroads.

• To be read
• Things to do this week, November 16–22, 2026, in Paris and Île-de-France

Jardin Nelson Mandela in Paris: A haven of greenery in the heart of Les Halles
In the heart of the Halles district, the Jardin Nelson Mandela is a green bubble that invites you to relax. Spread over 4 hectares, it offers Parisians and visitors alike an ideal wooded area for a break in the fresh air. Situated between the Canopée des Halles, Saint-Eustache church and the Bourse de Commerce, this contemporary garden combines history and modernity. [Read more]

Set on a concrete slab, it sits atop parts of the Forum des Halles’ underground networks, the roadways and the Châtelet–Les Halles rail hub. Above ground, the garden offers a welcome respite in a bustling district, with winding paths, play areas, fountains, artworks and discreet nods to the old Halles. In this quintessentially Parisian backdrop — a blend of mineral surfaces, greenery and urban history — the Fête de la Musique 2026 is poised to make Parisians hum with excitement.

World Music Day 2026 at the Nelson Mandela Garden in Paris

• Cine-Concert: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

  The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Robert Wiene's 1919 classic, with live accompaniment by the company’s orchestra, featuring Mussorgsky and Grieg.

  The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, by Robert Wiene, 1919

  This German Expressionist film, released in 1919 and directed by Robert Wiene, remains one of cinema's most striking landmarks.

  At a carnival around 1830, Dr. Caligari exhibits Cesare, a sleeping man. He tells a student, Alan, that he will live until dawn. Indeed, Alan is murdered in his own bed. His friend Francis suspects Caligari. The woman Alan and Francis desire is abducted by Cesare. Chased, the sleepwalker collapses after shedding his burden. Francis pursues Caligari, who flees to an asylum, where Caligari is revealed to be the director and Francis one of the inmates, along with the coveted young woman…

  The music

  Modest Mussorgsky

  Pictures at an Exhibition (excerpts) Night on Bald Mountain (excerpts)

  Edvard Grieg

  Peer Gynt, Suites Nos. 1 and 2 for orchestra (excerpts)

  Conception & adaptation by Florent Barret & Jérémy Neveu on an original idea by Mathias Szpirglas

  Participation conditions: No reservation required

  Schedule: Sunday, June 21, 2026 — 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM

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