This article refers to a European music festival. There is a Lebanese music festival also called Fête de la Musique.

The Fête de la Musique takes place in France, Switzerland, and Belgium on June 21, the summer solstice. It is spreading out, also taking place in many other countries in Europe and across the world. The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... The summer solstice is an astronomical term regarding the position of the Sun in relation to the celestial equator. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... The World in Plate Carrée Projection In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is Age of Man. ...

It was thought up by French culture minister Jack Lang in 1981 and first took place in 1982. Jack Lang (born September 2, 1939) is a French politician. ...

It is the occasion of a mass celebration which has grown more and more successful over the last two decades.

Its purpose is to promote music in two ways: This article needs cleanup. ...

• Amateur musicians are encouraged to perform in the streets. The slogan Faites de la musique (Make music), a homophone of Fête de la Musique, is used to promote this goal.
• Many free concerts are organized, making all genres of music accessible to the public.
• This is one of the only nights in the year where, under French law, there is no sound restriction at nighttime. One can party on without being bothered by neighbors calling the police

The word amateur has at least two connotations. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Homonyms (in Greek homoios = identical and onoma = name) are words which have the same form (orthographic/phonetic) but unrelated meaning. ... A concert comprises a performance, usually involving some degree of formality, and particularly a performance featuring music. ...

External links

• The French Culture Ministry's website on the Fête de la Musique (http://fetedelamusique.culture.fr/) (in French, international section also available in English)