The Grand Métèque Parade: a procession, concerts and activities in Les Lilas and Romainville

On June 6, 2026, the streets of Lilas and Romainville will hum with a big, collective celebration. The Grande Parade Métèque kicks off at 1 p.m. from Parc Lucie-Aubrac in Lilas, before making its way to Romainville, where the day continues at the Pavillon from 4:30 p.m.. This biennial gathering led by the association Un sur quatre blends parade, street performances, music, visual arts, dance, circus, food, talks and participatory workshops.

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The word “métèque”, long used as an insult, is here flipped with humor and pride. Since its first edition, born twelve years ago in response to the creation of the Ministry of National Identity, the parade champions a joyful yet political idea: to remind us that Seine-Saint-Denis is a land of intertwined histories, of migrations, of crossed cultures, and of neighborhoods that are continually reinvented. The event’s site frames this mission as a celebration of diversity, the pride of a plural, multicultural society, and the valorization of the benefits of immigration.

Starting from Parc Lucie-Aubrac, the festival roots itself in a neighborhood setting, open to families and residents. The parade will bring together non-motorized wheeled objects, fanfares, batucadas, street artists, costumed residents, floats, banners and slogans. The Lilas announce a route that will take the procession through Les Lilas and Romainville, carried by music, color and collective creations.

In Romainville, the parade will then make its home at the Pavillon, a cultural, community, and festive space open to everyone. The city frames it as a workshop for artistic creation, dissemination, the emergence of talent, and cultural participation, centered on live performance and engagement with audiences. Opened in 2019, the venue occupies a building whose history dates back to the 1937 Universal Expositions, since it was the Poland Pavilion.

On the lineup for the Grand Métèque Parade:

• Exhibitions, dance, circus, participatory performance, a philosophy trail for children, a sound installation exploring the transmission of culinary traditions, snack bars and small plates
• In the evening: Baile Coletivo, inspired by Brazilian dances, weaving carimbó, mangue-beat and Afro-grooves.

A parade to dance, chat, build things together, and remind on the street that multiple identities are also part of what makes Greater Paris rich.

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