by Scott Christmas

Created on: June 23, 2008

For those wishing to celebrate their French roots, or for those who simply want a good excuse to throw another summer party, Bastille Day on July 14th is a fine choice.

Commemorating the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison by French revolutionaries, and sparking the French Revolution and ultimately the modern French state, Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated in France with parades, picnics, and fireworks.

With so much French culture in North America, it is not difficult to find festivals wherever you may live. I will outline a few of the larger ones here; many others can be found on the Internet.

Perhaps the largest and most impressive celebration of Bastille Day takes place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania every year. Held at the Eastern State Penitentiary (an old stone prison that is now a museum and listed as a National Historic Site), the celebration involves appearances by Marie Antoinette and a reenactment of the storming of the Bastille. Make sure to bring along a French flag, and be ready to eat the cake thrown from the ramparts of the prison ("let them eat cake!").

Each year in downtown Milwaukee, a celebration is held in Cathedral Square Park, spanning several days, and including great French foods, wandering minstrels and street performers, live French folk music, a 5k run to reenact the storming of the prison, and a 43-foot replica Eiffel Tower. The festival is called Bastille Days, and you can find more information about it at http://www.easttown.com/info/Bastille%20Days/bdindex .

Seattle hosts a Bastille Day festival each year at the Seattle Center one of many international celebrations held there annually and includes French food, lawn picnics, live music, French wines, and French boutiques for shoppers.

New York City and San Francisco also have large annual celebrations on Bastille Day, with San Francisco's festival set up very similar to Milwaukee's, spanning several days of food, music, and reenactments.

For those who cannot find an organized festival nearby, a "do-it-yourself" Bastille Day festival is easy to create. Start by planting miniature tricolor French flags in your backyard. Add a selection of French wines, cheeses, and breads, followed by a main course of foie gras, chicken, or salmon. Be sure to play plenty of traditional French music (folk sections in the local music store are a great source for this), and finish the evening off with champagne and fireworks (no beer!).

Bastille Day festivals are a great opportunity for summertime fun and cultural enrichment. Whether in your own backyard, or at a major urban event, Bastille Day is an excellent time to celebrate your French roots, enjoy the summer, or just have a good time with friends and family.

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