The Clayton Arts Alliance is advocating for Make Music Day in Clayton on June 21 every year beginning with 2026.
Make Music is celebrated on the same day in more than 2,000 cities in dozens of countries around the world.
Completely different from a typical music festival, Make Music is open to anyone who wants to take part. Every kind of musician — young and old, amateur and professional, of every musical persuasion — pours onto streets, parks, plazas, and porches to share their music with friends, neighbors, and strangers. All of it is free and open to the public.
How It All Began
The story of Fête de la Musique begins over four decades ago in the heart of France.
In 1982, Jack Lang and his team at the French Ministry of Culture conceived a revolutionary idea: a musical celebration unlike anything the world had seen before. Their vision was simple yet radical—transform entire cities into open-air concert halls where free music would flow from every corner. Street intersections, public parks, rooftops, neighborhood gardens, and local storefronts would all become impromptu stages.
What set this celebration apart from traditional music festivals was its democratic spirit. Rather than featuring only professional performers, the event would welcome everyone—from seasoned musicians to enthusiastic amateurs—to participate, perform, or host their own shows. Scheduled for June 21st, the summer solstice, the celebration would be called Fête de la Musique, a name that cleverly plays on the French language, meaning both “festival of music” and “make music.”
A Dream Realized
What began as an ambitious concept has blossomed into something extraordinary. Today, Fête de la Musique stands as a genuine national holiday in France. On the summer solstice, the entire country pauses its regular activities as musicians claim the streets. The numbers tell a remarkable story: nearly 11% of the French population—approximately 7 million people—have participated by playing instruments or singing in public during the celebration. Even more impressive, roughly 64% of the nation, some 43 million people, venture out annually to experience the music.
A Global Phenomenon
The magic of this musical movement hasn’t remained confined to French borders. Over the past forty years, Fête de la Musique has evolved into a worldwide celebration, now observed in more than 2,000 cities spanning dozens of countries across the globe. What started as one nation’s creative experiment has become an international tradition, bringing communities together through the universal language of music.
