Fete de la musique

My husband and I were in a VERY tiny town outside Marseille just last June and were able to celebrate La Fete. My understanding is that every town celebrates, so wherever you go you should have opportunity to celebrate. It was a great deal of fun.

We did it six years ago and just wandered around
https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/fete-de-la-musique-celebrating-the-solstice/
There were a number of events including a symphony concert at the Louvre that needed pre-arranged tickets but we just had fun wandering around and dropped in a few formal presentations but mostly little informal groups that just set up shop here and there. It got drunk and rowdy late and there was considerable security but it wasn't a problem.

We've hit it twice in Paris. It's fantastic. Music out in the open everywhere - small stages, large stages, impromptu gatherings. Hit is the first time by accident and planned second trip there to make sure we got to see it again.

I have been to fete de la musique in Lyon, Paris and a small town in southern Burgundy. In Paris, musicians are not on every corner but there are tons of musicians and usually an online guide that tells who is performing where. I don't know if it is available for this year but if you Google "fete de la musique" and Paris and 2017, you will find it. In addition to the performances listed, you might find street musicians around. In 2015, we found a lot of that in Le Marais and attended a major (very, very loud) show near Republique (or maybe it was Oberkampf) metro station that we found out about through the fete de la musique website.

Thanks all! When I checked last, the 2017 info wasn't up yet. But plan to keep an eye out, especially as it gets closer. We def will be in Paris, now that our plans have firmed up