| The annual French music festival or Fete de la | | | | events. If you want to know what's happening on |
| musique as it is know in France is a remarkable | | | | the 21st in the major towns of France there is a |
| event which brings the whole country alive with a | | | | French language website which lists what's on |
| vast array of musical performances for a whole | | | | where: and you can also source information via |
| day each year. | | | | local French tourist offices. Its important not to |
| The driving force behind the festival de music | | | | expect to much as these are not major |
| was Maurice Fleuret (put forward by minister Jack | | | | professional acts, they are generally people who |
| Lang) who as director of music back in 1981 took | | | | might not normally get an opportunity to break |
| up the idea of "music everyway and concerts | | | | into a business which is so tightly in the grip of |
| nowhere". Understanding that five million young | | | | the music industry movers and shakers. There |
| French people either played an instrument or | | | | are acts which perform who are well known in |
| sang, in other words one in two, Fleuret | | | | France such as Tokio Hotel and Joachim Garraud |
| essentially proposed to let them realize their | | | | who played 2007, just don't expect Oasis or |
| dreams and take to the streets performing | | | | Duffy to turn up. |
| whatever they wanted to perform. | | | | Go along with the right frame of mind and you |
| The first event was launched on the summer | | | | can't fail to enjoy a music filled day which |
| solstice of 21st June 1982 under the slogan of | | | | stretches long into the balmy summer night. An |
| "play music, celebrate music". Professional and | | | | outdoor venue such as the port de Nice, throbbing |
| amateur musicians alike took up the banner, | | | | with people dancing on a warm evening makes |
| mostly spontaneously and performed Jazz, rock | | | | for a hugely memorable experience even if you |
| and traditional music alongside classical performers | | | | don't understand a word of what's being sung. |
| all in one great peoples' performance. They | | | | The event has been exported to other parts of |
| haven't looked back since. | | | | the globe and in less than fifteen years a form of |
| The event is now enjoyed by millions of people | | | | the fete de la music has appeared in over a |
| across France and has become a major source of | | | | hundred countries on the five continents, including |
| attraction for visitors. In practically every town | | | | cities such as Berlin, Budapest, Barlecona, |
| across the country artists of all categories take | | | | Liverpool, Luxembourg, Rome, Naples and Prague. |
| to the streets and perform their socks off whilst | | | | How strange that such a brilliant festival |
| everyone else boogies on down. The whole | | | | celebrating music exists only on such a grand |
| country rocks! Particularly in hotspots such a Nice, | | | | scale in a country which looks with envy across |
| Bordeaux and Paris where the nature of the | | | | the channel at the fantastic abundance of musical |
| towns lends themselves brilliantly to such | | | | talent on offer in the UK. Where we have a |
| performances. | | | | seemingly relentless flow of artists who |
| The performances are free of charge, royalties | | | | nonchalantly produce a steady stream of hits |
| are suspended for the day and the event overall | | | | which populate the charts around the world, we |
| is widely supported by the media with French | | | | have only a limited participation in a potentially |
| television also featuring some of the major | | | | major event to celebrate the art at which we |
| performing artists as well as covering the smaller | | | | clearly excel. |