History of the
Worldwide Festival

A yearly reunion

At the heart of Sète, Freshly Cut and Gilles Peterson have been welcoming you every year since 2006 for a timeless week of celebration. The whole city turns into a vast playground full of surprises and discoveries, to everyone’s delight. Seaside concerts, DJ sets under the stars, strolls through Sète’s charming alleyways...

At Worldwide, we take our time. Time to discover artists—some of whom are performing in France for the very first time—along with the city of Sète and its rich culture.

Our audience is one of a kind: multicultural and intergenerational. Coming from all over the world, they immerse themselves in Sète’s lifestyle and gastronomy: tielles, macaronade, bourride sétoise, stuffed squid, sèche en rouille, and zézettes de Sète.

A festival imagined by festival lovers, eager to share the unique lifestyle of Sète.

Gilles Peterson

Gilles Peterson is a British DJ, producer, and radio host, widely recognized for his major role in promoting jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, broken beat, and electronic music. A true radio man, he has been on air for nearly 40 years on the BBC with his cult show Worldwide.

Since the 1980s, he has been a key figure on the global music scene, constantly seeking out new sounds and emerging artists. He is credited with discovering acts such as Jamiroquai, Erykah Badu, The Roots, and Roni Size. Today, Gilles Peterson is a leading musical curator, influencing countless artists and DJs around the world. His eclectic approach and commitment to musical diversity have earned him international acclaim.

In 2003, the Freshly Cut collective crossed paths with Gilles Peterson. Together, they shared a common vision: bringing his Worldwide radio show to the stage. The first edition of Worldwide took place on July 15, 2006.