1: It really is a huge party
June 21st marks the Fête de la musique, which this year falls on a Friday. It will see music performances cropping up all over the country to be enjoyed for free by the public.
And it really is popular. To get an idea of the scale of the event, government figures say 10 million people have been taking to the streets in recent years, every year there are around 20,000 events around the country - from huge concerts in big cities to street music events in smaller towns and villages.
2: What's on
Most events begin at 2pm and run till around 11pm, although many will go on much later.
There are thousands of free events around the country for the public to get involved in, including choirs, DJ sets, classic music, rock and pop – something to suit all tastes.
In public areas all over the country there will be free music of every kind. Both amateur and professional performers will be on show on the streets, in the pubs, even from their balconies.
In the capital, people usually flock to the city centre to see what the fuss is all about. Hotspots like Rue Oberkampf are normally swarming, but keep an eye out along some of the quieter streets if you're looking for something a bit cozier.
There are so many events planned that you can even select the style of music you like together with the city you're in just to narrow it down.
Go to fetedelamusique.culture.gouv.fr for more information on events happening up and down France.
3: The party is the brainchild of an American
The concept came about back in the 1970s when American Joel Cohen was working as a music producer for French National Radio (France Musique).
He came up with the idea of a day full of music to celebrate the summer solstice on June 21st - the longest day of the year - and the idea caught on.
By 1982 the French government put its weight behind the idea and made it an official event and it's been popular ever since.
4: It's an international event
The rest of the world didn't take long to feel the beat of the festival, and it soon became an international success too. This year, 120 countries are expected to participate.
The festival is known in English as Make Music Day or World Music Day, as the French title is a homophone that can mean either 'music festival (fête de la musique) or 'make music' (faites de la musique).
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