Le Depot Brasserie is bringing a French summer tradition back to Old Town later this month with the second annual Fête de la Musique.
The free, two-day outdoor event, hosted by Le Depot Brasserie and Union Patisserie, will take place June 19 and 20 at the corner of Main Street and Heber Avenue, transforming the area into what organizers described as “The French Quarter.”
It’s a chance for Executive Chef Galen Zamarra and his wife, Katie, co-founders of the businesses, to share more of the French culture they’ve come to love.
“French culture is at the heart of what we do at Le Depot, so Fête de la Musique felt like an extension of our restaurant sharing French traditions,” said Galen.
Fête de la Musique is celebrated annually throughout France and around the world as a public celebration of music marking the start of summer. Last year was the first time the tradition was brought to Park City, drawing over 500 attendees.
“The response to our first Fête exceeded our expectations,” said Katie. “People seemed to love seeing Main Street come alive with activity. Because of this, we’ve expanded the event this year by adding a Friday evening kickoff in addition to Saturday’s full-day celebration.”
The festivities run from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 19 with a DJ set by Salt Lake Music Festival, outdoor cocktails and wine, French-inspired food from Galen’s culinary team and the return of Union Patisserie’s ice cream cart.
The main celebration continues from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 20, with performances from Park City Opera, Mountain Swing Collective and another evening DJ set from Salt Lake Music Festival.
Ultimately, the goal is to make French food — like the kind Le Depot specializes in — for the everyday person.
“While many people are familiar with Italian or Mexican cuisine, French food can sometimes feel less accessible or too fancy, and this event gives us a fun, welcoming way to introduce it to the community,” said Galen.
Food offerings throughout the event will focus on casual bistro fare, favorites like steak frites, mussels and croque monsieur, a hot ham-and-cheese sandwich broiled until golden, said Galen. In addition to ice cream, Union will serve French-inspired dot cakes, which are individual, palm-sized cups with layers of soft cake, frosting, topped with a thick blanket of sprinkles — a nod to the current internet trend.
As far as activities go, Galen said he’s especially excited for the return of pétanque, a French version of bocce ball. After they revitalized the old court last year, the sand pit became a gathering spot, Galen said. At Fête, there will be equipment and instructions available so anyone can join in and learn to play for the first time.
Both Galen and Katie said the hope is for this event to be an annual tradition and another way to kick off the summer atmosphere in the mountains.
“While Memorial Day is traditionally the American start to summer, it often doesn’t align well with Park City’s weather,” said Galen. “Fête is in late June, (when) summer is finally starting to get into full swing, the weather is more consistent and people want to be outside. Giving locals and visitors more reasons to enjoy Park City outside of ski season, by combining French food, music and family-friendly activities, felt like a perfect fit.”
The official French holiday falls on June 21, he said, but with the Park Silly Market set on Main Street that Sunday, they decided to celebrate the days before.
Katie said events like these, alongside other popular traditions like Savor the Summit, the Fourth of July Parade and Song Summit, are an important part of the Park City fabric, especially during the summertime.
“I feel events like Fête de la Musique help create the kind of vibrant, connected community that makes Park City special. They’re affordable, open to all ages and give both locals and visitors a reason to spend time together in Old Town,” said Katie. “As Park City continues to evolve, we think it’s important to add more cultural experiences that celebrate different traditions and bring fresh energy to town.”