Bastille Days Kicks Off Thursday
Thursday's lineup of activities.
Performer Chris Vogt at Bastille Days in 2012. Photo by Brendan Murphy.
Bastille Days, Milwaukee’s free French festival, kicks off Thursday, July 13. Highlights for tomorrow include:
- Free slices of cake available for the first 1,000 attendees at Cathedral Square Park at noon, courtesy of Metro Market. This year’s cake masterpiece will be inspired by a French bulldog.
- Live music beginning at 11:45 a.m. with Charles Walker Band on the Cathedral Square Stage and Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French Cancan Dancers on the Gruber Law Offices – “One Call…That’s All” Stage. Paris’ own Delgres will headline at 5:30 and 9:15 p.m. on the main stage.
- Chef demonstrations with Pastry Chef Katie O’Neil of SURG Restaurant Group at noon, Pastry Chef Christina Schubert of North Shore Boulangerie at 12:50 p.m. and Sous Chef Nate Taylor of Buckley’s Restaurant & Bar at 1:40 p.m. There will also be a WineMasters demo at 2:30 p.m. and BeerMasters demo at 3 p.m., followed by tastings led by Door Peninsula Distillery at 3:40 p.m. Catch all the demos and tastings at the Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage.
- Mini French lessons by the Alliance Française de Milwaukee at the Door Peninsula Winery Stage at 12:45 p.m., 3:45 p.m., 5:20 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Mayor Tom Barrett unveiling Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s exclusive ale created just for Bastille Days at 5:30 p.m. at the Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage. The ceremonial tapping will offer an up-close look at the brew’s firkin keg, plus free samples for of-age spectators.
- Commemorating the historic storming of the Bastille prison by Parisians in the 18th century is the 33rd annual Associated Bank Storm the Bastille. More than 5,000 runners and walkers will hit the streets of downtown at 9 p.m., beginning at the corner of Jefferson and Wells streets.
- Minstrels, chalk artists, cancan dancers, jugglers, mimes and other street-level performers roaming the grounds throughout the four-day celebration.
- An international marketplace with 90+ vendors selling art, clothing and accessories. The Alliance Française de Milwaukee Cultural Tent will offer gifts such as Provencal fabrics, soaps, cards and art.
- The area’s best French, Cajun and American fare at over 25 on-site restaurants.
Festival hours are: Thursday – Saturday, July 13 – 15, 11 a.m. – 11:30 p.m., with 10 a.m. breakfast on Saturday
Sunday, July 16, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Photo Gallery
ABOUT BASTILLE DAYS
Bastille Days is presented by the East Town Association, Inc., a nonprofit downtown Milwaukee business organization that has celebrated Bastille Days in Milwaukee since 1981. Proceeds from the festival are returned to the community through neighborhood improvement programs and civic events such as the popular Jazz in the Park and Cathedral Square Market. Bastille Days is free and open to the public. Visit www.bastilledaysfestival.com for more information.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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