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Annual events in Paris

There is always a festival or major event going on in Paris, except perhaps in August and February when school is out. Here are the biggest of these annual events.

Maison & Object
Held every January, this festival of furniture and interior design draws participants from all over the world.

Le Nouvel An Chinois
Given its large Chinese community, Paris celebrates Chinese New Year in February with great aplomb. Parades with floats and costumed revelers are everywhere in Chinatown throughout the day while fireworks and dancing dragons dominate the night.

Six Nations Rugby Tournament
This prestigious rugby tournament brings together teams from France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy in the spirit of goodwill and friendly competition.

The French Tennis Open
In May, the best professional tennis players in the world congregate in Paris for the French Open, one of the major tennis tournaments on the international sporting calendar. June Festivals There are three major festivals every June: Rendez-vous au Jardin, an open house for Parisian gardens; the Fete de la Musique, which commemorates the summer solstice (June 21) with a city-wide musical celebration; and the well-attended Gay Pride parade on June 30.

Bastille Day
This national holiday features one of the year's liveliest celebrations, with spectacular events throughout the day highlighted by the Bastille Parade on the Champs-Elysees. There are plenty of fireworks and free food and drinks on the streets of Paris.

Cinema en Plein Air
This annual outdoor film event is set on the largest inflatable screen in Europe, set up at the Parc de la Villette.

Paris Plage
Want to see a crowded expressway turn into a beach? That is exactly what happens in July and August when the banks of the Seine magically transform into an artificial beach.

Le Tour de France
The most prestigious cycling event in the world unfolds in June and ends in July under the Arc de Triomphe. Its route may vary, but the Tour de France always starts and ends in Paris.

Rock en Seine
In August, local and international rock stars perform on barges on the Seine.

Fashion Week
Paris becomes the center of the fashion world yet again when Fashion Week unveils the latest in Women's Pret-a-Porter collections every October. The winter collections are introduced in March.