Join the excitement and get into the festive spirit at Bastille Days, happening just weeks before the Paris 2024 Olympics.
This year’s event promises a plethora of activities for the whole family, with a special Kids Day happening on Saturday, July 13th.
Storm the Bastille 5K Run/Walk
The festivities kick off on July 11 with the Storm the Bastille 5K Run/Walk, Bastille Days’ biggest fundraiser.
Participants will race through Downtown Milwaukee and the Historic Third Ward, honoring the historic storming of the Bastille, the French prison that ignited the French Revolution.
DJ Shawna will be there to pump up the energy, thanks to the support from presenting sponsor Madison Medical and additional sponsors Gruber Law Offices and Saz’s Hospitality Group. Runners and walkers can also contribute to the restoration of the festival’s 42-foot Eiffel Tower replica.
Registration details are available here.
French Food, Music, and Performances
Bastille Days offers a feast for the senses with French food, music, and performances. Roaming street performers will entertain along the Madison Medical Bastille Days Marketplace.
Visitors can enjoy fortune tellers, henna artists, and even a French Bulldog Kissing Booth.
Festivalgoers can indulge in returning food favorites such as Beignets Français, Lake Park Bistro, Lagniappe Brasserie, Crème & Crepe Café, and New Orleans Cajun flavors from Crawdaddy’s on Greenfield.
Door Peninsula Winery will provide wine tastings throughout the event for the adults.
Highlight: Kids Day on July 13
Kids Day, sponsored by Educators Credit Union, is set for July 13 and is packed with activities to delight young attendees.
Start the day with a Beignet Breakfast, and then dive into arts and crafts at Kohl’s Art Studio.
The Milwaukee French Immersion School will offer French lessons, and there will be performances from the Milwaukee Ballet and other kid-focused entertainment.
Entertainment Galore
The festival features over 60 musical acts across multiple stages.
Highlights include the Extra Crispy Brass Band, Sneezy, Panadanza, Breaking Cadence, and Taylor & The Anti Heroes.
Enjoy French entertainment with Robin Pluer, Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French Can-Can Dancers, and new acts like Jerry Grillo French Cabaret, Ana Everling Trio, and French Folk with Daddy Squeeze & friends.
Attendees can also look forward to performances by Samba da Vida, Tamarind Tribal Belly Dancers, Professor Pinkerton’s Irreverent Orchestra, and more surprise acts.
For more information and to plan your visit, check out Bastille Days.
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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
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