When is World Music Day?
World Music Day 2027 is on Monday
Monday, June 21, 2027
June 21 every year. That's in 247 days.
until World Music Day begins, in your time zone
World Music Day, known in France as the Fête de la Musique, fills streets, parks and public spaces with free performances by amateur and professional musicians. It began in France in 1982 and is now held in cities around the world.
About World Music Day
World Music Day is built on a simple idea: on one day of the year, anyone can play music in public and anyone can listen for free. Performances are not limited to concert halls. Musicians set up on sidewalks, squares, courtyards, train stations and gardens, and every style is welcome, from choirs and brass bands to rock, rap, electronic and traditional music.
The event started in France as the Fête de la Musique. In October 1981 culture minister Jack Lang appointed Maurice Fleuret as the ministry's director of music and dance. After a 1982 survey of cultural habits found that around five million people in France played an instrument, Lang, Fleuret and Christian Dupavillon of the minister's staff planned a nationwide celebration that would give all of those musicians a stage. The first edition took place on June 21, 1982, chosen because the summer solstice brings the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The date stays June 21 even in years when the solstice falls on June 20.
The idea spread abroad in 1985, the European Year of Music, and a charter for a European Fête de la Musique was signed in Budapest in 1997, open to partner cities anywhere. The French Ministry of Culture says more than 120 countries took part by 2017. In the United States the celebration is usually called Make Music Day. Make Music New York was first held in 2007, and in 2025 the Make Music Alliance counted more than 5,400 free concerts in 147 US cities on June 21.
Despite the festive mood, World Music Day is not a public holiday in France, and many concerts take place in the evening, after the working day.
Sources: French Ministry of Culture: History of the Fête de la Musique, Make Music Day: About Make Music. How we check dates.
How to mark World Music Day
- Look up your city's Fête de la Musique or Make Music Day schedule and walk between a few free outdoor sets.
- If you play or sing, register a short public performance with your local organizers, or join a community choir or drum circle.
- Try an instrument you've never played; some Make Music events offer free beginner sessions.
- Build a playlist of musicians from a country whose music you don't know yet.
- Bring an instrument to a park or porch and invite neighbors to join in.
World Music Day dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Saturday, June 21, 2025 |
| 2026 | Sunday, June 21, 2026 |
| 2027 | Monday, June 21, 2027 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, June 21, 2028 |
| 2029 | Thursday, June 21, 2029 |
| 2030 | Friday, June 21, 2030 |
| 2031 | Saturday, June 21, 2031 |
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Frequently asked questions
When is World Music Day 2027?
World Music Day 2027 is on Monday, June 21, 2027. It falls on June 21 every year. In 2028, it is on Wednesday, June 21, 2028.
Is World Music Day the same as the Fête de la Musique?
Yes. World Music Day is the English name for the Fête de la Musique, which France's Ministry of Culture launched in 1982. In the US the same June 21 celebration is usually called Make Music Day.
Why is World Music Day on June 21?
The organizers picked June 21 for the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The date does not move when the solstice itself falls on June 20.
Is World Music Day a public holiday?
No. World Music Day is an observance, not a public holiday, so schools, banks, government offices and most businesses keep their normal hours.