Music Day 2026 in Paris: Free concerts lined up in the Marais

This Sunday, June 21, 2026, Fête de la Musique invites people of all ages to enjoy a string of top picks across Paris and the Île-de-France region. If you’re looking for music events in central Paris, here’s a selection of free concerts you shouldn’t miss in the Marais.

Heads up: due to the red heatwave alert, some events of the Fête de la musique 2026 may be cancelled, postponed, or altered. Check the latest information before you head out.

The Fête de la musique is back in full swing on Sunday, June 21, 2026. On this day, amateur and professional musicians take to the streets to let live music ring out. Every year, too, the great ideas, the artists, the classical music concerts and electronic or the array of unconventional happenings flood into Paris and across the rest of Île-de-France. The result? On June 21 each year you’re overwhelmed by a string of free concerts and you wonder where to go. Don’t panic: for this year’s edition of the Fête de la musique, we’ve got a little help. Here, we reveal the best music-going tips in the Marais!

But wait—do you know the story behind the Fête de la musique and how it began? The Fête de la Musique was created in 1982 at the initiative of the Ministry of Culture. That year, the Ministry’s Studies and Research Service conducted a major survey on French cultural practices. It revealed that five million people, including one in two youths, played a musical instrument. In response, Jack Lang, Christian Dupavillon, an architect-scénographer and member of Lang’s team, and Maurice Fleuret envisioned a mass participatory event designed to give all musicians a chance to express themselves and gain recognition. The very first Fête de la Musique was launched on June 21, 1982, the symbolically resonant summer solstice day.

For a memorable Music Day celebration in the heart of Paris, here are the must-see concerts to catch on Sunday, June 21, 2026, in the Marais!

Music Day 2026 in Paris: concerts to discover in the Marais

World Music Day 2026 at the Shoah Memorial: concerts moved indoors
The Fête de la Musique 2026 will go ahead at the Mémorial de la Shoah this Sunday, June 21. Due to weather conditions, the AutorYno and Degré 41 performances have been moved to the Edmond J. Safra Auditorium. [Read more]

World Music Day 2026 in Paris: Free concerts by Young Talents at the National Archives
Come celebrate classical music this Sunday, June 21, 2026, at the National Archives in Paris, on the occasion of the new Fête de la Musique. Once again this year, enjoy a free Jeunes Talents concert! [Read more]

Fête de la Musique 2026 at the Swedish Institute: Midsommar dances and free concerts on the program
For this year's Fête de la Musique, taking place this Sunday, June 21, 2026, the Swedish Institute in Paris will get you moving in its garden with two free concerts on the menu. As every year, catch the famous traditional Midsommar dances just before for a Swedish celebration that’s both festive and family-friendly. Here's the program! [Read more]