San José Area Celebrates World Music Day June 2

World Music Day, begun in France as Fête de la Musique in 1982 and now held simultaneously in more than 300 cities worldwide, will be celebrated June 21 in nine San José area locations. Additional performances will be held June 22 at the Liceo Franco-Costarricense in Tres Ríos, east of the capital.

At a press conference for the event, Jean-Paul Monchau, French ambassador to Costa Rica, said the festival promotes international brotherhood.

“Music is another language, one the whole world can share,”Monchau said.

Among the 75 bands participating in the festival are Latin jazz musician Patricio Torres, performing in the Central Bank Museums behind the National Theater at 12:45 p.m.; reggae band Bamaselo, playing at noon in downtown San José’s Morazán Park; jazz-pop sensation Escats, performing in San José’s Central Park at 6:45 p.m.; and experimental rock band Gandhi playing at the National Gymnasium in southeast La Sabana Park at 8:15 p.m.

Other downtown venues are Plaza del Correo (Ca. 2, Av. 1), the NationalCultureCenter (Av. 3/5, Ca. 11/15) and Plaza de las Artes (Ca. 9, Av. 2/6, in front of La Soledad Church). San Vicente Park in the northeastern suburb of Moravia and Escuela Fidel Chávez in San Antonio de Belén, northwest of San José, will also host concerts.

June 22’s concerts at the Liceo Franco-Costarricense will begin at 5:20 p.m. and go on past midnight.

For a complete schedule, see the Calendar pages.