Bastille Day, also known as the national day of France, or la Fête nationale (National Day), is essentially the French Fourth of July. It is celebrated on July 14th each year, which marks the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille in 1789, a turning point of the French Revolution. This holiday is celebrated in multiple cities and countries across the globe, including France, where it originated, and often features military parades, meals, dances, parties and fireworks. We do it a little bit different in Frenchtown, as we tend to do naturally, but folks seem to enjoy it... and they keep coming back.

   Bastille Day has been celebrated in Frenchtown, NJ since 1997! The inspiration to celebrate Bastille Day stems from the tale of our founder who escaped the guillotine and made his way to America.

Here's here's the scoop on this years event!

Vendor Market & Live Music in Sunbeam Lenape Park

Want to be a vendor at this year's event?

Apply Here!

Porch Concert at Rock Art Revival with Jamie Stem

Starts at 1pm

Check out Michael Arenella Quartet

with a side of Can Can dancers! Oh La La!

2pm- 5pm - Sunbeam Park

Frenchtown Walking Tour with Rick Epstein at 10 am

A walking tour of downtown Frenchtown will be conducted by borough historian Rick Epstein, author of “Frenchtown; Fires, Floods, Fads & Felonies.”The tour is free for teenagers, but it costs $20 for adults. “Normally, proceeds go to support my exuberant lifestyle, but this time it all goes to the Historical Society, which was so helpful when I was doing research for my book,” says Epstein. If you are interested in the tour, just show up in front of the Frenchtown Bookshop, 28 Bridge Street. 

Tour topics: The tour will cover the Great Frenchtown Fire of 1878, Senator Martin’s alligators, the Odd Fellows and other secret societies, the Queen of Bridge Street, how Fred Sipes created buzz for his silent-movie theater, how the guillotine inspired Frenchtown’s founder to come here and do some founding, why Aaron Burr wanted to visit Frenchtown (but didn’t), and much more.

If the tour creates a demand for Epstein’s book, it can be purchased at the the book shop, Frenchtown Home & Hardware, Sublime gift shop, Perfect Day Café, Country Chic, ArtYard, or Heart of the Home, all in Frenchtown. It is in hardcover, weighs 2 pounds, 5 ounces, and contains 75 photos and 200,000 well-chosen words (about the same as “Moby Dick,” but if you are a friend to whales, “Frenchtown” is the better book for you by far).

Magic Show by Doug Miller at TD Bank

*ongoing throughout the day

Downtown Scavenger Hunt

Trade your play board in for prizes!

11am to 6pm 

Here's other things to check out while you're in town that weekend:

The Frenchtown Farmer's Market

Saturday, July 13 | 10am to 3pm