Fête de la Musique mounts free concerts nationwide

THE ANNUAL global music event from France, Fête de la Musique, is returning for the 32^nd time in the Philippines. This year, the month-long celebration will bring 123 events to 34 locations nationwide.

The music festival’s Philippine edition, known as FDLM or Fête PH, is presented by the Alliance Française de Manille (AFM) in partnership with the Embassy of France and Funkybeat Entertainment. With the theme “For the People, By the People,” the multi-stage, multi-genre event aims to celebrate “its evolution from a single stage to a sprawling, community-led powerhouse.”

Counting main stages and small events, there will be live celebrations in store from June 10 all the way to June 29, across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“By keeping the festival completely free and expanding our footprint nationwide, we are celebrating not just the universal language of music, but the vibrant, community-led spirit that makes the Philippine music scene so extraordinary,” said AFM Executive Director Olivier Dintinger at a June 4 press conference in Makati.

HEALING MUSIC, PIANIST, WORKSHOP
Fête de la Musique began as a music festival in Paris on June 21 (the Fête’s official date) in 1982 and has since spread to 120 countries. This year’s edition in the Philippines will kick off with Music Heals on June 10 at the AFM in Makati City, offering a dedicated wellness and healing space that leverages the therapeutic power of sound.

The festival will also bring renowned French pianist Maxime Zecchini to the city. He will have two intimate performances, starting at The Writer’s Bar in Raffles Makati on June 14, followed by a recital at the AFM on June 15.

On June 19, the Asia-France Music Bridge Workshops provides a networking and exchange initiative for creative entrepreneurs, emerging artists, and cultural workers across Southeast Asia. Its main guests are French experts Gwendolenn Sharp and Leila Bellot, who will join local industry leaders in Manila to discuss intellectual property and creative growth.

MAIN EVENT
FDLM 2026’s main event, the Main Stage, will be held at Makati’s Ayala Triangle Gardens on June 21.

It will boast a mix of OPM heavyweights and breakthrough acts: pop-rock outfit Lola Amour, jazz-rock and spoken-word collective Radioactive Sago Project, hip-hop group Morobeats, and the Jewelmer Jazz Band. It will also feature performances by French krautrock trio Meule and French-Vietnamese harpist Héloïse La Harpe.

Foodies and culture enthusiasts can also look forward to the Taste of France French Market, featuring an authentic selection of French gastronomic specialties, wine, and artisanal goods, which will line Paseo de Roxas from June 20 to 21.

From June 20 to 28, performances will be held at 23 pocket stages around Metro Manila, spanning all genres from jazz to pop to new wave to rock. On June 26, there will be 28 stages centered around Barangay Poblacion in Makati City.

The NCR stages span Quezon City, Manila, Pasay, Taguig, Muntinlupa, and Las Piñas. “This is an opportunity for music fans to see the type of music they enjoy, but at the same time in different venues, be able to experiment with different genres they didn’t have the opportunity to listen to before,” said AFM’s Mr. Dintinger.

OUTSIDE NCR
Noe Fuentes, AFM cultural coordinator and Fête project manager, explained that this is “the most sprawling, grassroots edition” yet.

The performances at the Destination Stages will all happen from June 20 to 28. The organizers of first-time venues in the regions tend to be the most passionate, noted Mr. Fuentes.

“A destination to look out for is Fête Camiguin. It’s our very first time to have them,” he said.

There are 66 stages across 33 destinations. The northernmost are Cagayan and Cagayan Valley while the southernmost are in Koronadal and General Santos.

The destination with the most stages is Cebu, with 13 in total. Cagayan de Oro is next, with seven stages lined up throughout the week. Iloilo and Dagupan have four stages each, while Dasmariñas and Bohol have three each.

Closing out the month-long musical marathon is acclaimed Manila-based jazz duo Project Yazz. Composed of vocalist Faye Yupano and bassist Bergan Nuñez, the act will take the stage at the Long Bar in Raffles Makati on June 29, to perform their signature jazz reinterpretations of OPM songs.

“This is really a people-powered festival,” said Mr. Fuentes, on the reason behind this year’s theme. “Technically, it’s not Fête without all the people involved, and I also feel like it’s French-born, but it’s Filipino DNA, so that’s very important.”

Fête PH performances are free and open to all. For the lineup of events, visit their social media pages. — Brontë H. Lacsamana