What’s On in Paris – May 2024

May 1st (Fête du Travail- Labor Day), May 8th (Fête de la Victoire de 1945, V-Day), May 9th (Ascension), and May 20th (Pentecost Monday) are official “bank holidays” in France. Aside from some smaller restaurants and shops, most places will be open as usual except on May 1st, when most museums and stores are closed.

May 1-12
The 120th (!!) annual Foire de Paris (Paris Fair) is one of the biggest events of the year, occupying the entire Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (15^th arr.) with hall after hall of food and wine, home and garden, fashion and accessories, travel and world cultures, arts and crafts, the famous Inventions Contest, and a ‘Makers Fair’. It’s chaos, it’s fascinating, and there’s always something interesting to learn (or buy, or eat). Just don’t go on the weekend unless you like being trampled! Buy your tickets in advance and avoid lines; entry €13 (€15-€16 at the door; €7-9 at night).

May 2-5
Buy art for a good cause! The third edition of Solid’Art Paris takes place over four days in the Carreau du Temple (Marais), featuring 110 artists who are selling their works to benefit the Secours Populaire Français charity, particularly to fund vacations for children in need. The sponsor of this edition is the Franco-Vietnamese street artist Hom Nguyen: “This event particularly touches me, because as a child I had the chance to go on vacation thanks to the generosity of associations.” Free entry, open Thurs 6-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-8pm, Sunday 10am-6pm. Check out the website for the catalog of artists participating.

May 4-6
Visit the open studios of the Ateliers du Père Lachaise Associés (20^th arrondissement) for their annual Portes Ouvertes event of 33 participating artists. Open 2-8pm, free entry, maps available at the Mairie Du XXème (20th arrondissement Town Hall), and at galleries at 9 Rue Monte-Cristo, 59 Rue d’Avron, 85bis Rue de Bagnolet, and 98 Boulevard de Charonne. Secrets of Paris Community members can read more about visiting the major open studio events around Paris in 2024 in this exclusive article: Portes Ouvertes : Visiting Artist Studios in Paris

May 5th
For this first Sunday of the month, many Paris museums and monuments are open free to the public, including the Musée des Arts et Métiers, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, gardens of the Musée Albert Kahn,Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, Musée national Jean-Jacques Henner, La Monnaie de Paris, and l’Orangerie. But be forewarned: reservations are a must. The Château de Fontainebleau and Malmaison are also free if you want to escape the city.

May 5th
The Paris Qui Danse Collective is hosting a free, open-air 1840s-themed bal guinguette on the Butte aux Cailles (13^th arrondissement) this Sunday from 3-6pm, followed by drinks in an authentic guinguette tavern set up on the Rue des Cinq-Diamants. Open to all, with costumed dancers giving lessons on the popular period dances of the time accompanied by a live orchestra.

Through May 5
For the new exposition by Invader, one of the most famous street artists in the world, he’s taking over five floors of a deserted building (the former headquarters of Libération newspaper, 11 rue Béranger in the 3rd, which will be converted into a hotel at some point in the future) for a special exhibition of his pixellated tile street art. Tickets are €10, with specific time slots to visit, ONLY available online. Note that there is no elevator or other way to access the exhibit besides the stairs, and there is no coat check (and no heating, either, so…maybe keep your coat on). The spaces are going to fill up fast, book ASAP! If you missed out, they are going to open up more time slots, sign up here to be notified when they do.

May 7-16
The 28th annual Fête du Pain celebrates French bread and the bakers who bake it on the Parvis de Notre Dame (the square in front of the cathedral). Numerous demonstrations will be planned so you can learn everything about bread, from the way it’s kneaded to baked. Among all the baguette tastings, you can also attend competitions, award ceremonies and many other celebrations aimed at promoting the iconic French food. Free entry, but no opening hours were announced as of May 4th.

May 8
Today commemorates the end of WWII on May 8th, 1945, aka “Victory Day” throughout Europe. In Paris, two ceremonies are organized each year: the President of the Republic lays a wreath at the foot of the statue of General de Gaulle, Place Clemenceau (Champs-Elysées) then rekindles the flame of the unknown soldier under the Arc de Triomphe, both broadcast live on French TV 2 from 10am (and news websites like FranceInfo). Each arrondissement’s mayor will also lay a wreath or other memorial ceremony at a monument in their district.

May 16
Le Food Market is a monthly open-air food festival on Boulevard Belleville (between metro Ménilmontant and Couronnes) with over a dozen stands serving up tasty dishes of all kinds at affordable prices (kind of like a gathering of static food trucks, but without the wheels) from 6pm-10:30pm. This month’s theme is “Go Green!” featuring 100% vegetarian cuisine. It can get quite crowded, so get there early to avoid waiting (there are huge tables to sit and eat).

May 17
After celebrating the 10th anniversary of marriage equality in France in 2023 with a memorable “Love Ball,” the event is back with a second edition! The Bal d’Amour on the esplanade in front of the Hôtel de Ville is open to all Parisians, the LGBTQIA+ communities and their allies, married couples, families, youths, and seniors who wish to celebrate this major and collective societal advancement. There will be DJs, cabaret shows, and even a giant karaoké at 7pm, tracing the artistic and musical contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community from the 1960s to the present, with equality and love as the central themes. From 6pm-midnight.

May 18
The 20th annual Nuit Européenne des Musées (European Museum Night) takes place on Saturday, May 18th, offering free evening access to museums across Paris and Europe. Some venues require reservations, while others offer open visits with potential long wait times. Here are my tips and recommendations for making the most of the evening. https://secretsofparis.com/featured-events/european-museum-night/

May 19
With Olympics fever ramping up, no surprise Ground Control is hosting their 3rd annual Sports Brocante, the largest sports-themed flea market in Europe with over 60 stands. This year they have joined forces with AFCOS (French Association of Olympic and Sports Collectors) who will be present to sell Olympics collectibles (pins, jerseys, stamps, posters, tickets, torches, official outfits, etc.). Entrance is free from 10am-6pm, but you can pay €10 to enter an hour early, from 9am.

May 23-26
The 35th annual Artists’ Open Studios in Belleville takes place for four days in over 120 ateliers in Belleville (centered on the 19^th and 11^th arrondissements). It’s a great chance to see some typically Parisian neighborhoods that haven’t been completely gentrified, meet local artists, and of course purchase some lovely artworks! See a map of all the open studios, or visit the HQ at Galerie des AAB (1 rue Picabia, 19^th, metro Couronnes). Free entry. Studios are open 2-8pm over the four days of the event. Secrets of Paris Community members can read more about visiting the major open studio events around Paris in 2024 in this exclusive article: Portes Ouvertes : Visiting Artist Studios in Paris

May 24-26
Do you know the Cité Universitaire? It’s an international campus across the street from the Parc Montsouris (14th) where each pavilion (a pretty word for “dormitory”) was built by a different country, in different architectural styles, to house students and cultural events from that country. For three days they’re open to the public for the Fête de la Cité. Check out the full program to take a tour around the world from Korea and Sweden to Mexico and the United States, including artist expositions, live music performances, cultural food specialties, etc. Most events are free, some require registration, but you can also just show up and stroll the campus to see what’s happening throughout the weekend.

May 25-26
The 11the annual Paris Beer Festival takes place this weekend at Ground Control (12th arrondissement) to celebrate local, craft and independent beers, with 28 breweries from Paris/Ile-de-France, 27 from France, and six from Europe. There’s live music, conferences, and tastings (of course). Entry €7 (€6 if you buy online).

May 30-June 2
The Grande Braderie de la Mode is an extremely popular annual clothing sale to benefit AIDES charities, with over 100 participating brands selling their clothing for 70% off (including Anne Fontaine, Zadig & Voltaire, APC, Kaporal, Kenzo, BA&SH, Christian Louboutin, Isabel Marant, Gas Bijoux, etc. At BETC – Les Magasins Généraux in Pantin, 1 rue de l’Ancien Canal, M° : Eglise de Pantin. Open 11am-6pm Thurs-Friday, and until 7pm Sat-Sunday. Entry is €2, and you MUST reserve online in advance, timeslots fill up fast!

Through June 1
Discover Paris of the 1970s through the lens of photographers François-Xavier Bouchart and Léon Claude Vénézia at the Roger-Viollet Gallery’s free exhibition from March 7 to June 1, 2024. Featuring sixty photographs, this exhibit captures the vibrant, colorful, and unique essence of the popular neighborhoods of Belleville and Ménilmontant in the 20th arrondissement, offering a glimpse into the lives of workers, immigrants, and the modestly employed during a time of significant urban renewal. The vernissage will be the evening of March 7th from 6:30pm-9pm.

June 1
It’s the 23rd annual Nuit Blanche in Paris, when cultural events take place all night long (usually for free) in museums, cultural centers and in the open air. Find the program here online, or check out the information centers on the night from 7pm-2am at the Parvis de l’Hôtel de Ville (center), Place de la Résistance, near RER Pont de l’Alma (7th), and outside Boulevard de Belleville métro station (20^th).