Paris
It’s June 21, 2025, in Paris. The city of love, fashion, good food, and cultural practices that transcend the capital of France. Like many of the places I talk about, this is my first time experiencing the city, and I was immediately swept into the chaotic parade that is La Fête de la Musique. The city has so much beauty and so many luxuries ingrained in everyday living that, as a cultural researcher, I struck gold. Between music festivals, fashion weeks, constant pop-ups, and the most delicious restaurants, Paris never refrained from exposing its opulence embedded in the mundane. As a practising art director, cultural strategist, and observer of the mundane and overlooked, Paris became a platform through which I explored the beauty of people inhabiting spaces together. In its simplest form, there is an aesthetic in the act of gathering. My name is Francis, and I don’t speak French, but that didn’t stop my love for Paris—and more importantly, it didn’t stop me from immersing myself in what the city had to offer.
La Fête De La Musique 2025
La Fête de la Musique (literally “The Festival of Music”) is a huge annual music celebration that takes place on June 21, the summer solstice, in France and many cities around the world. The streets of the city are flooded with instruments, dj equipment and speakers are blared in the public spaces. Major streets, neighborhoods, public parks are full of promotions of music, and local performers, this day in Paris is to encourage the idea that music should be free and accessible to everyone. The goal was simple: encourage both amateur and professional musicians to perform in public spaces. Experiencing this in 2025, I found that free events like these are an effective way to encourage congregation around music, transforming public space into a site of shared cultural experience. If you were a music label with an upcoming artist, music academy or instrument store, events like La Fête de la Musique are an easy and natural way of resonating with your audience
Beyoncé Performing at the Cowboy Carter Tour at Stade de France June 22 2025
Yardland 2025
The Yardland festival takes over the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes. Rap, Afrobeat, dance hall and hip-hop will be in the spotlight. An associative village, a food court and a market place with young designers and brands are also part of the program. The festival stands as the ultimate fusion of music, culture, and style in the heart of France. Produced by YARD, the festival celebrates Black creativity and global youth culture through performances, streetwear showcases, and participatory installation. Front and center in Paris’s urban energy, Yardland amplifies the city’s creative renaissance, bringing together international acts like Asake, Latto, Young Nudy, Partynextdoor, Theodora and emerging talent across rap, R&B, and Afrobeats.
Zack Fox playing at Wanderlust July 5 2025