Bastille Day Festival

The Alliance Française de Portland presents the 22nd Annual Bastille Day Festival on July 14, 2024, in celebration of the French National Holiday. This year, we're escaping the heat and celebrating at an indoor/outdoor venue! We'll have music and the book sale indoors (with air conditioning) and enjoy food and the wine garden outside on the large covered patio. The best of both worlds!

Like our Fourth of July, the French National Holiday celebrates the revolution that created a nation. In 1789 the French stormed the Bastille prison, marking the birth of the modern French nation. The storming of the Bastille symbolizes the key values of Liberté, Fraternité, and Egalité, values which continue to resonate today.

We're celebrating French culture with a party featuring music, dancing, and good things to eat and drink. Plus craft activities and a tombola with prizes for kids, an epic book sale, and a special discount on Session 2 Minis, available only at Bastille.

2-3pm: Don't Miss the Bal Folk at Bastille
What's a Bal Folk? It's a festive event when people all over France come together to learn and enjoy traditional regional dances. Here's a taste from a recent French documentary of the phenomenon.

2-3pm: Our Bal Folk will feature  teacher/caller William Watson. Accordionist Ian Clemons will sing and play traditional French chansons and tunes.

Bands onstage indoors
-Bal Folk: Join in on traditional regional dances led by William Watson and accompanied by Ian Clemons, Accordéon
-Too Loose Cajun Zydeco Band (pictured above)
-Djangophiles Gypsy Jazz
-Bob and Paul Cajun Duo

Used Book Sale
indoors
A mind-boggling selection of used books in French and English, including a large selection of cookbooks! A huge range of authors and topics. Deals you won't believe!

Wine Garden outdoors On the patio
You'll find the wine garden out on the large canopied patio. Sip a glass of rosé or a refreshing sprizter on the patio. Or take your favorite beverage inside to enjoy with the music.

Fun for Kids
We're ready for kids on this family-friendly day! The very popular NW Fencing will be on the Patio with demos and hands on practice. The Alliance Children's Activities table will have craft/art projects next to the AF table indoors, where the tombola will be spinning for kids to win a fun prize!

Petanque
Watch the masters from the Portland Pétanque Club, then join in the game that's played all over France. If you've ever played horseshoes, you'll do fine! Our sponsor Versailles Gardens is graciously providing a pétanque court for Bastille Day! Look for pétanque down the block at NW 19th and Upshur, a very short walk west from Castaway.

Nosh On Old World Sausages On The Patio
OK, so it's bratwurst and it's German, but it has that old world je ne sais quoi and is just plain delicious. We've honored to offer bratwurst sandwiches from the Altengartz food truck out on our patio. Testimonials abound! (And there is a vegetarian option.)