07/08/2011 - Bastille Days Event & Schedule of Entertainment
Bastille Days
Bastille Days returns July 14-17, 2011. Bastille Days is North America's largest outdoor French themed festival held in downtown Milwaukee in Cathedral Square Park. 2011 marks our 30th Anniversary and we plan to celebrate with all the old favorites and some new twists! Enjoy a variety of entertainment options, roaming minstrels, activities for the kids, great food and much more! You could even enter to win a Trip to Paris!
Also new this year is the Bastille Days Wine Tasting! Sample some delicious varietals from California, France and beyond!
General Information
Bastille Days is located in Downtown Milwaukee and centered around Cathedral Square Park, providing a unique setting that both residents and visitors of East Town, always find charming.
The festival began in 1982 as a way to promote the downtown business district and encourage visitors to explore this neighborhood. At the time, the President of the East Town Association was a French transplant to Milwaukee and the group decided to create a festival that celebrates the French heritage present in Milwaukee. Today Milwaukee is known affectionately as the city of festivals and a variety of ethnicities are represented throughout the summer.
The event is known for the impromptu street performers, roaming minstrels, a variety of interactive and musical entertainment, and the signature 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica. Bastille Days also boasts a wide variety of some of the best restaurant vendors in Milwaukee!
Visitors to Bastille Days are invited to explore this Parisian playground, participate in mini-French lessons, see an authentic French mass, listen to local, regional and national bands, laugh at the spills and thrills of the Waiter/Waitress race and make sure to have a beignet before heading home.
Of course it wouldn't be Bastille Days if there weren't a Storming of the Bastille, which in Milwaukee translates into a 5k "fun run" which kicks off the festival each year on the Thursday evening at 9pm.
Festival hours are 11am to 11pm Thursday through Saturday and 11am to 9pm on Sunday.
The festival is free and open to the public.
2011 Bastille Days Entertainment Line-Up
Cathedral Square Stage
Thursday, July 14
11:45 am- Cajun Strangers
4:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
5 pm- Myserk
6:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
7 pm- Cajun Strangers
8:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
9:15 pm- SISTER SPARROW & THE DIRTY BIRDS (Pictured)
Friday, July 15
11:45 am- Robin Pluer
4:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
5pm- BEAUSOLEIL AVEC MICHAEL DOUCET
6:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
7 pm- Robin Pluer
8:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
9:15 pm- BEAUSOLEIL AVEC MICHAEL DOUCET (Pictured)
Saturday, July 16
10 am-3 pm- Kids & Family Day Festivities
11:30 am- POOCH PARADE
TBD- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
4 pm- LOS HOMBRES CALIENTES
5:15 pm- French Mass at St. John's Cathedral
6:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
7 pm- DANGERMUFFIN
8:30 pm- Jam Ak Jam (African Dance Theater)
9:15 pm- LOS HOMBRES CALIENTES (Pictured)
Sunday, July 17- Celebrating 30 Years 91.7 WMSE
1:30 pm- Joe Crockett & Company
3 pm- I'm Not a Pilot
4 pm- Waiter & Waitress Races
6 pm- WILLY PORTER (Pictured)
7 pm- SEMI TWANG
Kilbourn West Stage
Thursday, July 14
11:40 am- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
NOON- Old St. Mary's Mass
12:45 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
1:30 pm- The WhiskeyBelles
4:30 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
5:15 pm- Twang Dragons
8:15 pm- THE 5 CARD STUDS (Pictured)
Friday, July 15
11:40 am- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
NOON- Old St. Mary's Mass
12:45 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
1:10 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
2 pm- Roots Collective
5 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
5:45 pm- The Jimmys
8:45 pm- THE LOVE MONKEYS (Pictured)
Saturday, July 16
11:40 am- Orpheus
1:45 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
2:15 pm- In Black 'N' White
4:30 pm- Old St. Mary's Mass
5:45 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
6:30 pm- King Comets
8:20 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
9 pm- REVERAND RAVEN (Pictured)
Sunday, July 17
11:30 am- Old St. Mary's Mass
12:45 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
1:20 pm- The Invaders
3 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
3:45 pm- RAS Movement (Pictured)
6:15 pm- Tamarind Tribal Bellydance
7 pm- EVERGREEN
Beaux Arts Stage
Thursday, July 14
Noon, 12:50 pm & 1:40 pm- CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS
2:30 pm- Chef Tomas, Mia Famiglia- Fresh Home Made Cheese
3 pm- Wine Masters
4 pm- Vitrolum Republic
6:30 pm- Robin Pluer
9 pm- SOMETHING TO DO (Pictured)
Friday, July 15
Noon, 12:50 pm & 1:40 pm- CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS
2:30 pm- Cristi Menard- French Cheese Tasting
3 pm- Wine Masters
3:40 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
4:15 pm- Half Dozen Brass Band
6:15 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
7 pm- The Neverly Brothers
8:50 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
9:30 pm- UPTOWN SAVAGES (Pictured)
Saturday, July 16
Noon, 12:50 & 1:40 pm- CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS
2:30 pm- Cristi Menard- French Cheese Tasting
3 pm- Wine Masters
3:40 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
4:15 pm- Alex Wilson Band
6:15 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
7 pm- The Neverly Brothers
8:50 pm- Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
9 pm- ETHAN KELLER GROUP with HANNAH RAE BEALE (Pictured)
Sunday, July 17
Noon, 12:50 pm & 1:40 pm- CHEF DEMONSTRATIONS
2:30 pm- Cristi Menard- French Cheese Tasting
3 pm- Wine Masters
4 pm- Cajun Strangers
6:30 pm- ROBIN PLUER (Pictured)
Kilbourn East Stage
Thursday, July 14
11:30 am- Ryan McIntyre
12:30 pm- Learn to Speak French
3 pm- Learn to Speak French
3:30 pm- Paris la Nuit
4:20 pm- Learn to Speak French
7:30 pm- Siren (Pictured)
Friday, July 15
11:30 am- Running With Scissors
12:45 pm- Learn to Speak French
2:30 pm- West of East (Pictured)
3:30 pm- Learn to Speak French
4:45 pm- Learn to Speak French
5 pm- Pamela Means
7:30 pm- Siren
Saturday, July 16
11:30 am- Myserk
12:45 pm- Learn to Speak French
2:15 pm- Learn to Speak French
2:45 pm- Fox & Branch
4 pm- Learn to Speak French
6 pm- Pamela Means
8:30 pm- Half Dozen Brass Band (Pictured)
Sunday, July 17
11:45 am- Fox & Branch
1 pm- Learn to Speak French
2:15 pm- Learn to Speak French
2:30 pm- Ryan McIntyre
4:45 pm- Learn to Speak French
6:15 pm- Meaghan Owens (Pictured)
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