Fête Nationale ~ also known as French National Day or Bastille Day ~ commemorates the start of the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille in Paris on July 14, 1789. It’s an Event to celebrate here in New York City. Beginning with French Restaurant Week, here are a few suggestions.
French Restaurant Week will take place from July 10-16. Book your table at Perrine at The Pierre; Bistrot Leo; La Sirène Soho and Upper West Side; Orsay Restaurant and many more. Follow French Restaurant Week on Facebook.
Celebrate Bastille Day in Central Park on July 13. Meet at the Rumsey Playfield for concerts and the festival. The event will take place from 6:00 to 10:00pm and is a Free event. Doors open at 4:00pm – as part of SummerStage.
Weather Update: Sadly, due to inclement weather, all FIAF / French Institute Alliance Française Bastille Day outdoor activities on Madison Avenue have been canceled. The planned Bastille Day live performances will be indoors in Florence Gould Hall (55 East 59th St).
Bastille Day outdoor activities on Madison Avenue have been canceled. The planned Bastille Day live performances will be indoors in Florence Gould Hall (55 East 59th St).
The Alliance Française’s Annual Street Fair and celebration of France’s independence day ~ Bastille Day ~ will take place on Sunday, July 16th. With the street blocked off to traffic on Madison Avenue from 59th to 63rd Streets, New Yorkers are free to eat, drink, shop and learn about the culture.
This fun and festive celebration will begin with live performances on the Main Stage at 59th Street and Madison Avenue at noon. This year, expect to see cast members from Broadway’s Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Paris-based singer-songwriter Naomi Greene with harp arrangements; French-Moroccan singer/composer andproducer Malika Zarra + more.
Visitors will enjoy The French Garden on Madison Avenue between 60th and 61st Streets which will showcase dozens of luxury shops including food, beauty, and fashion. Featured shops include Angelina Paris • Atelier Tuffery • Babette • Beautyque • Café d’Avignon • Cheese2U.com • Délice Métisse • Demain Beauty • Doré • FIAF Boutique • French Bloom • JCH Respect • Kure Bazaar • La Maison du Chocolat • Le Petit Parisien • L’Or Coffee • OCabanon • Olivier and Co • Paul Bertin • Payot • Shaeri • Silpat • Sofitel • Thermomix • Thierry Atlan. The French Garden will be open from Noon to 5:00pm.
50+ food and lifestyle purveyors will be located in ‘Market Booths’ on Madison Avenue between 61st and 63rd Streets from Noon to 5:00pm.
The Rosé and Bubbly Party will take place at the FIAF Skyroom, 22 East 60th Street from 1:00 to 2:30pm and from 3:30 to 5:00pm.
The Film Screening will be ‘The Innocent’ and take place at 5:30pm at FIAF Florence Gould Hall, 55 East 59th Street.
Family Activities and the popular car show by The Greater New York Citroën & Velosolex Club’s Annual Bastille Day Rally & RendezVous will be located on Madison Avenue between 61st and 63rd Streets from Noon to 5:00pm.
Get a close-up look at classic models of the French automobile.
The lineup of automobiles will start at 10:00am on July 16th on Riverside Drive South and 122nd Street, adjacent to Grants’ Tomb in upper Manhattan.
Follow FIAF Bastille Day for updates.
…..And the rest of the year, visit ~
Le District, a French-inspired environment to eat and shop at Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty Street, NYC. Explore our Boulangerie, Creperie, Café , Traiteur, Patisserie, Ice Cream Station, Bar A Vin, Fromage & Charcuterie stations!
Visit Amuse Bouche Bistro, located in the historic La Marqueta on East 115th Street in East Harlem ~ open year-round. Reopens July 19th.
Buy a Bastille Box at French Wink ~ a French-women-owned business with more than 1,000 curated products made either in France or by U.S.-based French businesses from grocery, kitchen and home to clothing, beauty and health.
Take a cooking class at The French Culinary Institute at the International Culinary Center in NYC ~ from amateur to advanced.
Take a walk along Madison Avenue ~ follow the Madison Avenue BID.
Walk over to Fifth Avenue at 60th Street to view Bharti Her: Ancestor on the Doris C. Freedman Plaza section of Central Park by Public Art Fund, on view through August 27, 2023.