Fête de la Musique Brings Live Music to the Streets of Georgetown
By • June 23, 2025 0 450
By Annabel Taylor
D.C., a city influenced by French urban planning and built by French architect Pierre Charles L’Enfant, shares more than just a layout with Paris. In 1982, France’s Ministry of Culture hoped to create a festival where anyone could attend and listen to free music everywhere from alleyways, parks, rooftops and sidewalks. Decades later, Georgetown held its second annual Fête de la Musique, also known as World Music Day, on Saturday, June 21 just as Paris and over 1,000 cities worldwide held their respective musical celebrations of the Summer Solstice. The Georgetown BID (Business Improvement District) and Georgetown Heritage worked in conjunction with the Embassy of France-Villa Albertine to bring the rich and melodic sounds of live music to the streets of Georgetown.
Photo by Annabel Taylor.
The event involved extensive planning and coordination. Georgetown Heritage received nearly 70 performance applications, which were reviewed and matched with locations in Georgetown and the French Embassy. Nancy Miyahira, director of arts and culture at Georgetown Heritage, said the event highlights Georgetown’s rich musical history and promotes the artistry of musicians from all backgrounds.
“We really wanted to bring free live music people of all cultures, ages, races and genres—to really just give them a place to play and then let people enjoy free music in Georgetown,” said Miyahira.
Photo by Annabel Taylor.
The Fête de la Musique featured a diverse set of musicians, performing in every genre from Afropop to acoustic folk. The lawn of Grace Episcopal Church was filled with concertgoers basking in the radiant sunlight and enjoying the sounds of Northeastern Brazilian dance music from Conta Ponte Forro. Down the road, at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Corazon played a set of international grooves—transporting passersby to a scene right out of the Caribbean. On the patio of Clyde’s, Brent Peterson crooned Americana tunes on a summer afternoon, his acoustic guitar blending the sounds of pop, rock country and reggae. On Wisconsin Avenue, in front of L.A. Burdick chocolates, Creekview Blues played a series of enchanting Delta Blues tunes.
Further down Wisconsin, Jazz artist Jude the Obscure played outside of Maman Bakery. He found that the Fête de la Musique offered a taste of authentic street music through its spontaneous expression.
“Just the fact that it’s on the outside of enclaves and that people are moving around— there’s something fluid and wonderful about that,” said Jude the Obscure. “I was playing Caribbean based music which is very much about being out in the great outdoors, because the basis of that music is it’s so social.”
Photo by Annabel Taylor.
Attendee Richard Mosier, who enjoyed the jazzy set outside of Maman, enjoyed an impromptu moment while listening to Jude the Obscure.
“He was encouraging people to play the steel drum or the bongos, and literally almost pulled me by the elbow,” said Mosier. “And so, I got to have my first experience playing the accompaniment on the bongos with Mr. Obscure.”
After street performances concluded at 7:00 pm, concertgoers had the choice of continuing the festivities at either the French Embassy or the Waterfront for more musical charm.
On the waterfront, the Fête culminated in a lively Latin and African dance celebration, set to the electrifying soundtrack of DJ Dola.
Photo by Annabel Taylor.
Meanwhile at La Maison Française, the French Embassy held a series of concerts open to the public, featuring a diverse lineup that included students from the Duke Ellington School of Arts located here in Georgetown. The evening opened in the auditorium with a performance by the Choir of the French Embassy and the French Choir of Washington. In the ballroom, the Embassy of Japan band filled the space with a groovy blend of J-Pop and J-Rock. The night ended in the Place Charles de Gaulle, where French-born DJ Escandeleux spun French electronic music until 10:00 p.m.
Fueled by an eclectic lineup of performers and a diverse audience from across the DMV, the Fête de la Musique celebrated global music and marked the start of the summer season.
- DJ Corazon at the intersection of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue playing a set of international grooves
- Pop, rock, country and reggae singer Brent Peterson outside of Clyde’s on M Street
- Delta Blues artist Creekview Blues outside of L.A. Burdick on Wisconsin Avenue
- The Fête culminated with Latin and African dancing on the waterfront
