If you are in New Orleans in mid-July, check out the celebrations for children and adults on Bastille Day.
The Faubourg St. John Block Party
Saturday July 11, the cluster of businesses along Ponce de Leon Street at Esplanade Avenue and their neighbors will host their annual Bastille Day Street Fair from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.. There will be live music from the Pyranha Gypsy Swing Band and the Creole String Beans, a band that describes itself as the “best Yat cover band around.” The block is closed off for dancing in the street, and there will be a rummage sale and activities for kids. There's also great food from many local restaurants.
The Louisiana Children's Museum
There' a French Fest on Saturday July, 11th at the Louisiana Children's Museum from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. You can exlore French culture with a traditional French cuisine food demo from Crêpes á la Cart and craft your own Eiffel Tower. Plus, learn about the French flag, make your favorite stuffed animal look like a French poodle and design your own coat of arms. Also, enjoy a Delta Festival Ballet performance in the Atrium at noon followed by storytelling from Ms. Vee's in The Times-Picayune Theatre at 1:30 p.m.
The French Market LET THEM EAT CAKE! event
On Sunday July 12, there's a big celebration involving cake, champagne, a costume contest and music. This free event takes place at the French Market 1000 Decatur Street, right behind the Jeanne d' Arc statue.
Here's the schedule of events.
- 2 p.m. Music by Pierre Pichon Gypsy Swing Trio
- 2:30 p..m. Toast by Napoleon and Joan of Arc and sing-a-long to Le Marseillaise
- 3:00 p.m. Let them eat cake! Cake cutting and tasting for all
- 3:15 p.m. Costume contest: Come dressed as your favorite French character (real or imagined, alive or dead, famous or infamous) and win some cool French Market gifts as prizes.
Poodle Parade
The Alliance Française of New Orleans is running the popular "Poodle Parade", although this year the poodles will be challenged by French Bulldogs. The parade will start at 9:30am at the Crescent City Farmers Market, 200 Broadway. For any information and registration : (504) 568-0770
The Bastille Tumble
This event is for the funloving, but not the faint of heart or the easily offended. The Tumblers meet on July 14th in the 500 block of FRENCHMEN after dark, imbibe heavily, do lascivious Frenchie-type things and take to Le Street to storm Bars and Bastilles at dark-thirty. Clothing optional (especially given the heat), costumery encouraged and profuse sweating expected. (The "offishul" alternate name for this little soiree is Da Midsummer Night's Sweatfest.) Bring your instruments, percussion toys and dancin' shoes for the annual tumble (parade) through the French Quarter.
Bastille Day Body Art Bash
One Eyed Jacks at 615 TOULOUSE Street in the French Quarter has a Body Art Bash at 9:00 on July 14th. It's $20 in advance $25 at the door. The event includes body art painting, celebrity painters, contests and prizes, Tableau Revue, Champagne and Desserts.