Did you know Milwaukee has not one but TWO of North America’s biggest cultural celebrations of their kind? Irish Fest gets the spotlight later this summer, but this weekend is all about Bastille Days and the French-themed festivities coming to Cathedral Square.
The event has been running for more than four decades and makes its return Thursday with its usual four-day schedule that wraps up on a relatively abbreviated Sunday. Each day starts at 11 a.m., with things shutting down at 11:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free, so the only potential cost is your sanity as you search for a parking spot within easy walking distance of the square.
There are a couple ways around that potential headache, one of which is The Hop streetcar’s M-Line that conveniently stops right in the middle of the festival. So you could park just about anywhere on the route that runs between the Milwaukee Intermodal Station and Burns Commons, and catch a free ride to Bastille Days.
The festival also set up a deal with Power Parking to score 25% off when you reserve parking early using this website and the code “PARIS”. That deal is good for the garage located at 518 E. Mason St., the Cathedral Square Garage at 530 E. Mason St. or the lot at 822 N. Van Buren St.
Getting there early is a particularly good idea on Thursday, when the festival celebrates its first day in the usual fashion: by allowing thousands of runners and walkers to take over at least a couple of Milwaukee’s downtown streets. Storm the Bastille starts at 9 p.m. and goes as long as it takes for participants to finish either the 5K run or 2-mile walk. There’s still time to register if you want to officially join the storming, but you could also just stroll into the crowd at the starting line if you’re cool being unofficial and don’t mind not getting a t-shirt.
Those that choose to run or walk can feel good about preemptively burning off the many calories a person could potentially consume over the course of the four days. This year’s food vendors include:
- Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro
- Beignets Francais
- Cedar Crest Ice Cream
- Crawdaddy’s on Greenfield
- Cream & Crepe Cafe
- Immy’s African Cuisine
- J.T. Catalano Corn
- Kegel’s Inn – German Street Food
- Lagniappe Brasserie
- La Cocina Del Sur – Empanada Bar
- Milwaukee Pretzel Company
- Mil-wok-ee Asian Street Food
- Peter Sciortino Bakery
- Saz’s
- Shuckers Crab Shack & Oyster Bar
- Sil’s Mini Donuts
- Smokin’ Jack’s
- The Truck Stop
- Ward’s House of Prime
If you want to check out each place’s menu, you can do that on the Bastille Days website. That’s also where you’ll find the full entertainment lineup, but because we’re a full-service institution, we helpfully added that right below so you can scan and plan your Bastille Days visit or visits. A couple options that jumped out right away were Something to Do at 9:15 p.m. Thursday on the Beaux Arts Stage, The Belle Weather at 8:45 p.m. Friday on the Kilbourn East Stage and The Listening Party at 6:30 p.m. Saturday on the Educators Credit Union Main Stage.
Honestly, though, the whole thing is free, so any entertainment you catch during the festival is guaranteed to be worth the price of admission. Take a look at the full lineup, visit the Bastille Days website for any other info you might need, and laissez le bon temps rouler!
Thursday, July 11
Educators Credit Union Main Stage
- 11:45 a.m. — Daddio
- 3 p.m. — Liam Ford Band
- 6 p.m. — Funk Club Wagon
- 9:05 p.m. — Sneezy
Gruber Law Offices Stage
- 12:15 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 1:15 p.m. — Palm Ghosts
- 4:15 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 5:15 p.m. — The Panoptics
- 8:35 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 9:30 p.m. — The First Wave
Beaux Arts Stage
- 11:45 a.m. — Dianna Jones Band
- 3 p.m. — Tamarind Tribal Belly Dance
- 5 p.m. — French Folk with Daddy Squeeze & Friends
- 6:45 p.m. — Louie & The Flashbombs
- 9:15 p.m. — Something to Do
Kilbourn East Stage
- 11:30 a.m. — Wildered
- 2:45 p.m. — Troubadours of Rhythm
- 6 p.m. — V2
- 8:45 p.m. — Extra Crispy Brass Band
Madison Medical Stage
- 11:30 a.m. — Kevin Soucie
- 2:30 p.m. — LJ
- 4 p.m. — Kevin Soucie
- 5:30 p.m. — TaDah
- 8:30 p.m. — DJ Carbonella
Friday, July 12
Educators Credit Union Main Stage
- 11:45 a.m. — Paradise Jazz Band
- 2:45 p.m. — Kitty Soft Paw
- 6 p.m. — Ana Everling Trio
- 9 p.m. — Extra Crispy Brass Band
Gruber Law Offices Stage
- 11:30 a.m. — Duosonic
- 2 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 3 p.m. — Six Pack Sammy
- 6 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 7 p.m. — 5 Card Studs
- 9:45 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 10:05 p.m. — This Is It! Drag Show
Beaux Arts Stage
- 11:45 a.m. — Tamarind Tribal Belly Dance
- 1:15 p.m. — Chris Pipkins
- 2:45 p.m. — The Incorruptibles
- 6 p.m. — Rebecca & The Grey Notes
- 9:15 p.m. — Maple Road Blues Band
Kilbourn East Stage
- Noon — Sweet Shieks
- 4 p.m. — French Folk with Daddy Squeeze & Friends
- 5:45 p.m. — Peter Thomas/Steve Vorass
- 8:45 p.m. — The Belle Weather
Madison Medical Stage
- 11:30 a.m. — Gene Gruber
- 2:30 p.m. — Jenn Leo
- 5:30 p.m. — Annie B
- 8:30 p.m. — DJ Jayx
Saturday, July 13
Educators Credit Union Main Stage
- 11 a.m. — Milwaukee Ballet
- Noon — Milwaukee French Immersion School
- 1:30 p.m. – Tamarind Tribal Belly Dance
- 3 p.m. — Ben Mulwana & The Village
- 6:30 p.m. — The Listening Party
- 9:30 p.m. — Panadanza & DJ Kiran Vedula
Gruber Law Offices Stage
- 12:30 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 1:30 p.m. — Vintage Groove
- 4:30 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 5:30 p.m. — Rustbucket
- 8 p.m. — Madame Gigi’s Outrageous French CanCan Dancers
- 9 p.m. — Breaking Cadence
Beaux Arts Stage
- 12:45 p.m. — Blues Talk
- 3:45 p.m. — Robin Pluer
- 6:30 p.m. — Max & The Invaders
- 9:20 p.m. — Sugo
Kilbourn East Stage
- Noon — Christopher’s Quartet
- 3:45 p.m. — French Folk with Daddy Squeeze & Friends
- 5:35 p.m. — Terra Guitarra
- 8:50 p.m. — Professor Pinkerton’s Irrelevant Orchestra
Madison Medical Stage
- 11:30 a.m. — Kevin Soucie
- 2:30 p.m. — Octavio Arcanjo
- 5:30 p.m. — Jennifer & The Drive
- 8:30 p.m. — DJ Asher Gray
Sunday, July 14
Educators Credit Union Main Stage
- 12:05 p.m. — Kojo
- 2:35 p.m. — Jazzmen
- 5:30 p.m. — Taylor & The Anti-Heroes
Gruber Law Offices Stage
- 12:15 p.m. — 11 One Louder
- 4 p.m. — Brewtown Beat
Beaux Arts Stage
- 12:15 p.m. — Marjasana
- 2 p.m. — Jerry Grillo French Cabaret
- 4:30 p.m. — The Hungry Williams
Kilbourn East Stage
- 12:30 p.m. — The Style
- 4:30 p.m. — Robin Pluer
Madison Medical Stage
- 12:15 p.m. — Jean Kaldunski-Hildegarde
- 3:30 p.m. — DJ John Stuart
