This Thursday is Bastille Day, and you can guarantee that San Francisco is gearing up for a weekend full of cultural celebrations. Be sure to wear your finest breton shirts and berets when you go out, as many local hangouts will be honoring this enduring French holiday by serving traditional fare, fine wines, and lively Parisian-style music and dancing.
Since the storming of the Bastille, a notorious armory and prison in Paris, back on July 14th of 1789 igniting the French Revolution, this liberating date has been annually commemorated through a celebratory cultural appreciation of all things French. Here in San Francisco, our love for both uplifting our cultural diversity and throwing unmissable parties ensures proper observation of this occasion for this coming weekend, especially with these jubilant and authentic events below.
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Embarcadero Plaza / Website
On Saturday July 16, the Embracadero Plaza will transform into a total French pavillon as the sunny location for the ultimate Bastille Day Festival. With its fourth iteration since COVID, this free festivity will run from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and will remarkably include the most premier food, wine, music, vintage car shows, entertaining Tahitian dance performances, and more. Look out for the amusing mime and the historically famous Course des Garçons de Café, or “Waiters Race," a competition of tray-carrying finesse.
This event is a delightful showcase perfect for a family outing and for a cute taste of French traditions.
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515 Broadway / Website
North Beach's Le Petit Paris 75 is a luxuriously swanky neighborhood lounge known for their intimate atmosphere, sultry neon lighting, and impeccable espresso martinis. Step into their trendy Moulin Rouge-esque cove for their Fête Nationale party happening on Saturday from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. for a night of fabulous drinks, mesmerizing music, and a taste of the French nightclub scene.
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374 Bush St / Website
Start your weekend celebrating right on actual Bastille Day at the Financial District's Belden Place! Organized by Downtown SF, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. July 14th, Belden Place, which hosts Cafe Bastille, Toy Soldier, Sam's Grill, and more, will be aglow with the finest French cuisine and live classical music from Vintage Jukebox. Another enticing reason to attend? Free berets!
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995 9th St / Website
Treasure Island Wines will be channeling both French sophistication and the summer essence through their refined food and wine pairings. Enjoy a background of live music from the Bistro Moustache Trio, which supplements the elegance of wines from Jim Mirowski and Dennis Hayes, and plates of Creperie Saint-Germaine. Bonus points if you can order "au français!"
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155 Fell St / Website
Need another reason to venture out Saturday night? Head to the wildly fun Rickshaw Stop at 9 p.m. for a swinging 60's French pop party that will make you feel like a French New Wave main character. Come dressed in your most groovy attire and embody the likeness of Brigitte Bardot, Francoise Hardy, and more at this Parisian-style Disco as you also taste their creatively exclusive cocktails.
These events are sure to add plenty of joie de vivre to your Bastille Day plans!
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Photography by: Anthony Choren/Unsplash
