by Scott Christmas

Created on: June 24, 2008

Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille Prison in Paris in 1789. The prison stood as an ancient symbol of royal tyranny and oppression; as such, it made for a perfect target for French citizens fed up with royal extravagance, secrecy, and despotism. An armed mob of about 600 people stormed the prison on July 14th of 1789 and wrested it from the control of the monarchy, sparking the French Revolution. The day has been celebrated officially as the French national holiday since the 1880's.

With more than 100 years of festivities behind the celebration of this day, there are many traditions surrounding Bastille Day. The most significant, of course, is the celebration of Bastille Day in Paris. The celebration there includes an enormous and colorful military parade down the famous Champs-Elysees, jaw-dropping air shows, speeches by the president and other notable political figures, and a glorious fireworks show above the Eiffel Tower. Any lover of French culture and history will want to experience at least one Bastille Day in the City of Light.

Other traditions closer to home include large celebrations in such cities as Philadelphia (where a reenactment of the storming of the Bastille takes place at the Eastern State Penitentiary historical site), San Francisco, New York City, Milwaukee, and Seattle. All of these festivals include great French music and food, renditions of the French national anthem "La Marseillaise," street performers, stage shows, fireworks, Eiffel Tower replicas, and an abundance of French tricolor flags to add color and flavor to the celebrations.

No Bastille Day is complete without gourmet French wines, cheeses, breads, and of course champagne. Many folks make reservations at fine French restaurants on July 14th, or baring that simply don berets and blue, white, and red clothing, and celebrate with champagne and pate' in the backyard. Banners and signs declaring "Viva la France!" or "Liberty, equality, and fraternity!" are also common traditions surrounding the celebration of Bastille Day, and make for great decorations at backyard parties.

As with Independence Day in the United States, Bastille Day is often celebrated with fireworks. If you can't find a Bastille Day fireworks display in your own area, buy your own fireworks and drink champagne while you set them off. A perfect musical accompaniment to these backyard fireworks is Rush's 1975 hard rock classic appropriately titled "Bastille Day." A rousing rendition of the chorus goes well with a fireworks display: "For we march up to Bastille Day; the guillotine will claim her bloody price. Free the dungeons of the innocents; the king must kneel to let his kingdom rise!"

Such affirmation makes for a fine conclusion to a traditional celebration of Bastille Day.

Learn more about this author, Scott Christmas.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.