The West Coast’s largest Bastille Day celebration will take place on Saturday, July 15, from noon to 6:00 p.m. at Jamison Square in the Pearl. The Saturday festival will be free and open to the public and in 2016 attracted close to 8,000.
11th Annual Waiters Race: The popular Portland Waiters Race returns to Bastille Day and will start at 2:00 pm. Racers will be competing for $2000 in prizes! Cheer them on as the waiters circle the square three times balancing glasses of water on a tray — it’s not easy! The winner combines the best time with the fewest spills. (Interested waiters can sign up online – click here to register.)
L’Avenue de la cuisine: French-themed menu options will be plentiful from popular and unique restaurants as St Honore Bakery, C’est Si Bon Crêperie, Pi Squared Alsatian Pizza, charcuterie from Urban German, Ruby Jewel Ice Cream, and Jouk Li Jou Haitian cuisine. The superb wine garden on NW Johnson will feature specialty cocktails by diamond sponsor, Hardy Cognac. You’ll also find refreshing beer, wine, and champagne available to enjoy by the glass.
Live Music: The festival features French-themed music on the main stage throughout the day, including the dazzling accordionist Jet Black Pearl; French cafe music of the Zephyr trio; the jazz guitar stylings of the Djanophiles; and Falcon, a lively father-daughter accordion-fiddle duo.
Enjoy activities throughout the park, including a huge French book sale hosted by the Alliance Française, arts & crafts vendors (including many importers of French products), and a Bastille-inspired costume contest. Look for a wide range of children’s activities from French immersion schools, French-themed coloring playtime from the Alliance, and a very special puppet theatre performance from Northwest Children’s Theatre.
Play pétanque with the Lake Oswego Pétanque Club. Enjoy fencing demonstrations then try it yourself with the masters from Northwest Fencing Center in Beaverton.
Jamison Square is located at 810 NW 11th Avenue at NW Johnson in the Pearl. The festival occupies the entire Square, known for its shady lawns and spacious fountain, as well as a block of NW Johnson Street. Jamison Square can be reached by the Portland Streetcar A Loop and NS Lines, with stops at NW Johnson and NW 10th/NW 11th.
The Bastille Day Festival is presented by the Alliance Française of Portland. Thank you to our major sponsors including Hardy Cognac, the French American International School, and Kafoury-McDougal. Thanks also to sponsor Renewal by Anderson and in-kind sponsors Perrier/Nestlé Waters USA and Delta Airlines.
Craft and education vendor spots for this festival were booked as of June 2017. Email info@afportland.org or call 503.223.8388 with questions or to be waitlisted for vendor spots.