More than 170 groups from at least 15 different musical genres will converge on Medellin and the surrounding towns of Sabaneta and Barbosa Friday and Saturday, June 22 – 23, for the city’s 10th annual international music festival.
Metal, punk and rock will echo off chubby Botero statues in the city’s Plaza de las Esculturas. Parque will feature pop artists, and Parque Poblado–the square normally reserved for tourists, cops and food stalls–will feature a mix of electronic music and hip hop.
The two-day event coincides with other festivals around the world, as part of an initiative begun in France in 1982 to unite thousands across the globe through music.
Worldwide, the Fête de la Musique is a free event open to all music genres, held in cities ranging from Los Angeles to Bogota to more than 100 cities in Europe. Medellin’s festival lags a day behind Europe’s, which is set to start June 21, the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere.
This year the festival’s theme is “pop international” inspired by the 50-year anniversary of the Beatle’s first hit single “Love me do.” Fans can watch a Beatle’s tribute held at the Premium Plaza shopping center at 5 pm on Saturday.
For more show times and location information, visit the event’s website.