Bastille Day 2011 in NYC

Details

Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Food/Wine

Published on Friday, 08 July 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

In a spirit of thanks over two centuries long, the US is only too happy  -- well, yes, for another chance to party -- but especially to celebrate in solidarity with a fellow Revolutionary for Democracy.

And who better to launch the festivities than French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), with their annual Bastille Day on 60th Street:

"Bonjour, New York!

On Sunday, July 10, 2011, New Yorkers celebrate French culture at NYC’s annual three-block fête on 60th Street from 12-5pm.

Each year, Bastille Day on 60th Street brings the best of France to New York for an afternoon of activities and delights for the entire family. Kids can play a round of pétanque or get their faces painted at the Kids Corner booth.

From tasting delicious treats to listening to music at the day-long concert, everyone will enjoy the myriad attractions provided by artists and artisans from various regions of France, as well as other French-speaking countries.

For more than 10 years, Bastille Day on 60th Street has been the largest public celebration of the historic friendship between France and the United States commemorating France’s own Independence Day on July 14, 1789.

Shop the French-themed market stalls, try your luck at the raffle, and visit the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) at 22 East 60th Street for wine and cheese tastings.

Vive la France!"

Some other celebrations:

This year, the MPB Agency and Forgeois Group decided to celebrate this July 14th anniversary jointly by launching Bastille Week.

The goal is to get people together and boost business for participating partners, by proposing street fair events, petanque tournaments, cultural events, balls.

And what better time to start another new French-related event: French Restaurant Week.

To promote French cuisine in New York City, all participating French restaurants in NYC are offering a prix fixe menu and/or a Brunch/Special at $17.89.

Nine years ago, Georges Forgeois and Bernard Decanali launched a pétanque tournament of over 80 teams, on Smith Street in Brooklyn. This event, building on its success, has been hosting over 15,000 visitors per year.

French Culture Nights presents their 3rd Bastille Day Festival 2011 on the weekend of July 16 - 17, 2011 at the Sky Deck Terrace in the Novotel Hotel in Times Square.

French Culture Nights spotlight the people and artists that make French life in the Big Apple so unique.

Bastille Festival 2011 brings the best of the French speaking world through

• Art exhibitions
• Musical performances
• Wine education
• Culinary demonstrations
• Activities for Kids

and much more.

This year, French Culture Nights decided to celebrate this year's Bastille Day with a mash-up of their best artists and lively atmospheres to create this unique event as an hommage to French accomplishments and dedicated followers.

In addition to the Art exhibit by more than 20 Francophone artists, events and performances are:

• DJ Manu Leger
• complimentary hors d'oeuvres by le Bec Fin
• La Maison du Chocolat Food tasting, and Raffles with gifts from les Trois Petits Cochons, Ricard, Michel et Augustin
• Wine Classes with Sommelier John Bandman
• "Pétanque molle" by Ricard
• Theather by Lucie Tripon & Nadia Menco
• Vocalists:
  • Antoine Bleck
  • Alex Jacquemin
  • Floanne
  • Lady Popcorn
  • Jackie Sanders
  • Silvia Laffont
  • Stephanie Marchais
• Belly Dancer: Kristi Angel Gabriel

For kids, events include:

• Puppeteer David Trabusco
• Face painter and temporary tattoo artist Emma Sadler
• Magician The Great Ragidy Supreme with magic tricks for kids of all ages

Sofitel's Gaby Restaurant does the day right with food, drink, music, and even Can-Can! Their celebration includes:

• Live performances of French Can-Can Dancers
• French themed cocktails and wine all night
• French influenced "Amuse Bouches" by Executive Chef Sylvain Harribey
• Cocktail hour features both Regular Ricard and Ricard Signature, with such libations as the "French Can Can" and "Le Mistral", along with complimentary snacks

Bastille Day Celebration at Bouchon Bakery
Celebrate the taste of French freedom as Chef Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery salutes Bastille Day with a tasting menu of French boulangerie classics such as:

• Crispy Cod Brandade
• Jamon Paris & Brie Crepe
• Raspberry Financier
• Wild Blueberry Almond Tart

Pianist and vocalist Kathleen Landis will be on hand with her quartet performing music to savor the food.

NewFilmmakers presents its 2nd annual Bastille Day Screening Series with French-related films at Anthology Film Archives. Some of the short films being screened are:

Do You Speak French?
directed by Joshua Hawks
As seen through the eyes of three strangers waiting on a taxi. The differing points of view of the strangers quickly becomes heated, in a tongue-in-cheek retelling of the ancient debate: what counts as art?

Banc Public
directed by Martin Thibaudeau
A couple, a beggar, one bench.

Un Café Pour L'Amerique
directed by Jossy Mayor
Pierre is a very shy man in his sixties, with no family or friends and who just retired. What will he do now?

Homecoming
directed by Lorian James Delman
Paul Berling is suffering from a grave kidney disease. When he returns to his native village in France in order to seek out help from his brother, he discovers that the home he left isn't what it used to be.

So Long, June
directed by Paul Briottet
A young British girl wakes up next to her client, who has paid her for sex, in a room in a famous hotel on the French Riviera. Looking in the man's jacket, she finds a gun that she takes with her.

The shorts programs are capped off with the presentation of the feature documentary:

Facs of Life
directed by Graeme Thomson, Silvia Maglioni
In the center of collage, the mixture of elements of varied nature, is Gilles Deleuze’s impressive work. Shown are video footage of his courses at the Vincennes University, and images of the forests that surrounded the institution back when it was still standing, as well as the places where he used to walk.

Cinémonde Soiree #19 (Bastille Day Cinema Independence Fete) is holding its annual Bastille Day celebratory screening on July 14, 2011 in the Solarium Screening Room of the Roger Smith Hotel in Midtown, New York City, along with a cocktail reception.

The film to be shown is:
The Whisperer in Darkness
directed by Sean Branney
written and produced by Branney and Andrew Leman
Adapted from a story by H. P. Lovecraft, by special arrangement with the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society
Starring Stephen Blackehart, Barry Lynch, Conor Timmis, Autumn Wendel
Science fiction meets horror in this tale of an intrepid scientist who finds his research leading him into a realm he would have sworn was impossible.

French Film Festival in NYC Parks – Films on the Green Festival in Riverside Park:

July 9:

Towards Zero / L’Heure Zéro
directed by Pascal Thomas
adapted from a novel by Agatha Christie
starring Francois Morel, Melvil Poupaud, Danielle Darrieux, Laura Smet, Chiara Mastroianni, Alessandra Martines
Whatever possessed Guillaume Neuville to invite his ex-wife Aude and his current wife Caroline to spend the summer vacation at his rich aunt’s home in Brittany? Two Mrs Neuville beneath the same roof is one too many.

July 15:

My Father's Glory / La Gloire de Mon Père
directed by Yves Robert
starring Philippe Caubère, Nathalie Roussel, Julien Ciamaca, Didier Pain
The early childhood years of film director Marcel Pagnol as he grew up in a happy family environment  in the south of France.

And finally:

Bastille Day Ball 2011
New York‛s only official Bastille Day ball since 1924, the event is under the patronage of:

• His Excellency François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United States
• His Excellency Gerard Araud, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations
• the Honorable Philippe Lalliot, Consul General of France in New York

The Ball is being held Thursday, July 14 at The 404 club in Manhattan, with a live orchestra and DJ, as well as a grand prize raffle: round trip tickets to Paris from New York on Air France.

These are only some of the many fests and celebrations of France‛s special holiday.

Lafayette would be pleased.

For more information, visit www.bastilledaynyc.com.

Bastille Day on 60th Street
July 10, 2011

French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF)
22 E. 60th St.
212- 355-6100
www.fiaf.org

French Culture Nights
July 16 - 17, 2011

Novotel Hotel
226 W 52nd Street
New York City
frenchculturenights.com

Bastille Week: French Restaurant Week
July 10 - 17, 2011
frenchrestaurantweek.com

Gaby Restaurant
Sofitel Hotel
45 W 44th Street
New York City
www.GabyNYRestaurant.com

Bastille Day at Bouchon Bakery
July 14, 2011

Bouchon Bakery
10 Columbus Circle
New York City
212-823-9366

NewFilmmakers Bastille Day screening series
July 13, 2011

Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue & 2nd Street
New York City

Cinémonde Soiree #19
July 14, 2011

Roger Smith Hotel
Solarium Screening Room
501 Lexington Ave.
New York City

Films on the Green Festival
July 15, 2011

Riverside Park South
Pier 1 at 70th Street
New York City

Bastille Day Ball 2011
July 14, 2011

Club 404
404 10th Avene (at 33rd St.)
New York City
www.bastilledayball.org

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