Outdoor festivals in Paris
Not-to-be-missed events for festival fun in the sun in Paris.
Paris has an all-year-round busy festival scene. Music, theatre, cinema, dance, street arts ... There’s something for all tastes and all ages. Attracting tourists and Parisians, each event is the opportunity to get together for a fun time with family or friends.
In summer, festival-goers can enjoy these great events outdoors. Here is a selection of not-to-be-missed events, to discover festive and cultural Paris outdoors!
Le Printemps des Rues
Multidisciplinary
20 and 21 May 2017
For 20 years now, the most popular street art festival in Paris has been held around the Canal Saint-Martin. For 2 days, artists, slammers and theatre companies offer live performances to ever-bigger audiences. A free event which takes place this year in the 10th and 18th arrondissements.
Featuring: the Ktha Compagnie, Pat’Mouille et ses Mouillettes, Cie La Position du Guetteur …
Villette Sonique
Music
25 to 31 May 2017
Back at various places in the Parc de la Villette for its 12th edition, the Villette Sonique festival is a favourite of music fans. The event always delivers a quality line-up full of surprises, featuring headline performers and new artists … And you can picnic on the lawns of the park!
Featuring: La Colonie de vacances, Annette Peacock, Princesse Nokia, Collectif Sin …
LaPlage de Glazart
Music
8 June to 30 September 2017
Every Wednesday during the summer season, discover a selection of pop, rock and electro at Glazart. Laze in a deckchair with your bare feet in the sand and enjoy free concerts at the most seaside bar in Paris. A hint of the seaside in the 19th arrondissement.
Featuring: Ion Ludwig, Robin Ordell, Sit, Valentino Kanzyani …
Les Pestacles
Children
7 June - 27 September 2017
Created by the City of Paris, the festival Les Pestacles is a bumper family event. It is held in the Parc Floral and for almost 15 years it has been putting on shows of all kinds throughout the summer: street art, concerts, workshops ... activities are numerous and take place every Wednesday, to the delight of young children (sometimes for kids aged 2+).
We Love Green
Music
10 and 11 June 2017
After just 6 editions, this eco-friendly Parisian musical festival has become a major event. With a fantastic programme, a bucolic setting and activities for kids and grown-ups, We Love Green attracts a large public whilst at the same time respecting the environment.
Featuring: A Tribe Called Quest, Nicolas Jaar, Moderat, Solange …
Download festival
Music
9 to 11 June 2017
After a successful first edition last year at Longchamp Racecourse, the British rock festival is back at a most surprising venue: a huge abandoned air base within the Paris region! An electrifying event not to be missed.
Featuring: System of a Down, Rancid, Slayer, Blink-182 …
Paris Jazz Festival
Music
17 June to 30 July 2017
This hugely popular summer jazz festival takes place every weekend in June and July in the heart of the Parc Floral. For 22 years, the event has been bringing together jazz men and women from places all over the world where jazz has taken root, from Switzerland to Armenia, from Africa to France …
Featuring: Les Amazones d’Afrique, Erik Truffaz, Anne Pacéo, Magma, Jacques Schwartz-Bart ...
Opéra Côté Cour
Music
18 June to 24 September 2017
For its 6th edition, the Opéra Côté Cour festival returns to Bercy Village with performances for young audiences and adults. Each year, the event offers the opportunity to (re) discover operas and operettas in short format (maximum 45 minutes) every Sunday in the months of June and September.
Défense Jazz festival
Music
19 to 25 June 2017
Every year in June, jazz stars get together in the business districtof La Défense for a week of exceptional concerts! The forecourt becomes a platform for all types of jazz and even other musical styles. A free outdoor event with a quality line-up.
This year, the Défense Jazz festival celebrates its 40th anniversary! With: Bootsy Collins, Chinese Man, Alsarah & The Nubatones, ALA.NI ...
Play Me, I’m Yours
Music
20 May to 11 July 2017
The self-service ‘Play me, I'm yours’ pianos are back in Paris! Customized by 20 artists on May 20th, 21st, 27th and 28th, then put on show for a time in the Jardin d’Acclimatation, the 20 street pianos are then installed in various public places in Paris so that passers-by can enjoy playing them for free. An original participatory festival that has already been taken up around the world.
Les siestes électroniques
Music
8 and 9 July 2017
The peaceful garden of the Musée du Quai Branly is the venue chosen each year by the Siestes Electroniques for a bold and relaxing programme that mixes musical genres. This year, the event gives 7 groups access to the sound collections of the museum of early civilizations making it a genuine privileged moment of creativity. A must! The event is free but booking is essential.
Featuring: Sourdure, Piu Piu, N.M.O., Danny L Harle …
Solidays
Music
23 to 25 June 2017
The programme for the annual Solidays festival always features a must-see quality line-up of pop and rock artists from top billing names to new talents. The festival, one of the biggest in Paris, takes place at the Longchamp Racecourse in a laid-back atmosphere. Created in 1999, Solidays is a fund-raising event for the fight against AIDS: the funds raised by the event are donated to associations.
Featuring: The Prodigy, Vitalic, Ibrahim Maalouf, Kery James, Birdy Nam Nam …
L’Eté du Canal, l’Ourcq en Fête
Multidisciplinary
8 July to 27 August 2017
Every year during the 2 months of summer, the banks of the Canal de L'Ourcq are the scene of fun and festivities! With dances, concerts, water sports, film screenings, seasonal bars and even cruises, this canal summer festival is an opportunity to experience summer in an offbeat way in the sun in Paris.
Festival Européen Jeunes Talents
Music
2 to 22 July 2017
For this 17th edition, the European Young Talents Festival brings together the most talented musicians – winners of international classical music competitions. Thrilling moments to enjoy with these young instrumentalists at concerts (some free, some paying) mainly in the Marais (3rd), but also in the Buttes Chaumont (19th) or in the Square Saint-Lambert (public garden) (15th).
Featuring: Karine Deshayes, Thierry Escaich, Quatuor Ellipsos, Christian-Pierre La Marca ...
Cinema outdoors at the Parc de La Villette
Cinema
20 July to 20 August 2017
During the 2 months of summer, the lawn at the Parc de la Villette is transformed into an open-air cinema. Relax in a deckchair or on the grass and enjoy, for free, one or more of the feature films selected for this extremely popular festival. A great outdoor event for family and friends.
Featuring: Le Goût du riz au thé vert (Yasujirô Ozu), La Graine et le mulet (Abdellatif Kechiche), Ratatouille (Brad Bird) …
Paris l'Eté Festival
Multidisciplinary
17 July to 5 August 2017
Each year, the Paris l'Eté Festival takes place in Paris and the inner suburbs. Since 1990, this major event has been offering (mainly) free performances of dance, theatre, circus, and concerts in parks, at monuments and in Parisian squares.
Featuring: Floor on Fire, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Shantala Shivalingappa, Yann Frisch, Sonia Wieder Atherton ...
Festival Fnac Live
Music
6 to 8 July 2017
For 6 years now, the square in front of Paris City Hall has been hosting the Fnac Live festival: a series of 30 free pop, rock and electro concerts that draws a bigger audience every year. Drop in for some musical entertainment on your way back from Paris Plages!
Classique au vert
Music
5 August to 17 September 2017
Every year, the ‘Classique au Vert’ festival invites lovers of classical music to the Parc Floral de Vincennes to a series of weekend concerts featuring well-known and up-and-coming artists. Delightful musical moments in a truly beautiful setting.
Festival Tréteaux nomades
Theatre
21 August to 3 September 2017
The 18th edition of the Arènes de Montmartre travelling festival returns to the streets of Paris to perform a range of theatre: commedia dell'arte, fairground, burlesque ... there are plenty of quality performances to choose from. The Festival Tréteaux nomades adapts classical texts to give them a modern twist – great entertainment guaranteed.
Where? Courtyard of the Hôtel de Beauvais (4th) and Arènes de Montmartre (18th).
With: Don Juan (Tirso de Molina), Les Femmes savantes (Molière), Entre Deux Tempêtes (Nelly Quette), Mais n'te promène donc pas toute nue ! (Georges Feydau) ...
Rock en Seine
Music
25 to 27 August 2017
A highlight of the French musical calendar, the Rock en Seine festival offers a series of rock concerts every last weekend of August at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud. The billing for this 15th edition features big names as well as more under the radar groups to discover on one of the 5 concert dates for this event that every year attracts some 120,000 festival-goers. A must!
Featuring: The XX, PJ Harvey, Flume, Franz Ferdinand, Fakear …
Festival Silhouette
Cinema
25 August to 2 September 2017
For its 16th edition, the Festival Silhouette returns to the Butte du Chapeau Rouge with a new programme of short films and free concerts for the whole family.
