Bastille Day is for the French, what July 4th is to Americans. It is a celebration of their country's independence. For the French, it signified the start of the French Revolution. The sky is the limit as to what one can do. It can be a simple family get together where you barbecue outside, or it can be a party with a theme. The theme can be related to French history, or it can be something related to the present time. One possibility is to have a "Let them eat cake" party.
*WHAT TYPE OF CELEBRATION? -
Deciding on the type of celebration will make it possible to plan all of the other details. Do you want to have some sort of formal event such as a dance, or do you want to have a more informal casual event? How many people will there be? Will there be children present?
*ESTABLISH A BUDGET -
Any time one is hosting a party, a celebration or any other type of event, it is important to establish a budget. By creating a budget, one is forced to stick to the constraints of the budget and to plan accordingly. It may mean sacrificing something in order to be able to do something else. In the end, it gives a structure to the event that might not otherwise be present.
*PLAN A MENU -
Planning a menu ahead of time will ensure that there is no last minute chaos. It will also mean that there is no question about what to have. As part of planning the menu, make a list of every ingredient that you will need. It is a good idea to plan a menu that will allow you to purchase many or most items ahead of time. Be sure to plan the menu far enough in advance to be able to shop for the staples bit by bit.
*SHOP WELL ENOUGH IN ADVANCE -
Shopping in advance will help you make sure you don't forget anything. Purchase all non-perishable items well in advance. Purchase perishable items such as fruit and vegetables when they are at the peak of freshness.
*PLAN ACTIVITIES -
Plan the activities you may have as part of your celebration ahead of time. If you want to listen to music, plan that ahead of time. Consider burning songs to a single CD so that you don't need to fumble through many CDs. Be sure to have the CD player ready to go. If you want to have outdoor (or indoor games,) available for people to play, make sure that you've got all the necessary supplies.
*HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER -
If you are going to have an outdoor celebration, you should have an alternative plan that can be used as a backup in case of rain. If there are too many people to move the event indoors, consider renting a tent or purchasing a canopy of some sort. If you are going to have your celebration in a park, look for one that has shelters that can be reserved in advance. Make sure, too, that there are bathrooms at the park.
*HAVE A PLAN FOR WATCHING FIREWORKS -
In many places, there are wonderful fireworks displays for Bastille Day. If you are in a place where there is a public celebration and you can watch fireworks, create a plan that will allow people to get there or to a place where they can be viewed easily. Plan to do a carpool type of thing and ask guests if they will be willing to drive. Then return everyone to a central location where they can retrieve their cars. If you plan to shoot off fireworks yourself, make sure that you are abiding by all city, county and state laws.
*ARRANGE FOR SEVERAL DESIGNATED DRIVERS -
In any celebration where there is likely to be drinking, it's extremely important to take the time to make sure that there are enough designated drivers. As the host, you will be legally and morally liable for the action of a drunken driver. If necessary, have someone drive the guest home and make arrangements to get their car back to them. Your guests will feel a great sense of relief in knowing that they don't have to worry about transportation when they may have had too much to drink.
A Bastille Day celebration can be just as fun as a July 4th celebration. The type of celebration one plans should depend on the interests and tastes of the people who will be in attendance. As part of the celebration, it would be appropriate to serve a quintessentially French meal. The event can be a pot luck, or a more formal type of meal.
No matter how one decides to celebrate or what activities one might choose to incorporate into the celebration, it's important to stick to the plan that was created. Be sure you stick to the budget. Not doing so is certain to cause a lot of anxiety and stress after the event. The main thing is to have a good time, and to do so with family and friends in a safe, enjoyable and festive atmosphere.