Was today's U.S. Women's World Cup Parade not enough excitement for you to kickoff the weekend?
Do you want to visit Paris, but just don't have the funds?
That's all fine, because we have amazing news: New York City is celebrating Bastille Day this Sunday, and it'll be held on 60th Street from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Just for one day, it'll be incredibly easy to pretend you're relaxing in the South of France, sipping wine beside the River Seine, or gazing up at the Eiffel Tower.
So, yeah, your weekend just became amazing. Did you want to sample European chocolates, French champagne, and delicious deserts? How about possibly winning a getaway to Paris?
Yeah, we thought we'd have your attention. Read on to find out exactly what's happening during Bastille Day on Sunday, ma chérie.
1. Music
At the corner of 60th Street and Park Avenue, there will be a variety of rousing performers dancing and singing for free all day on the Main Stage.
At 12:45 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., admire the bursts of high energy and high kicks of the Can-Can dancers. At 1 p.m., jam out to the catchy pop melodies and rich piano mastery of Benjamin Swax. At 2 p.m., get your jam on to the beats of Ginkgoa, a French-American electro-swing group with a pop edge.
The Hungry March Band will be jamming out, and the The Arpège Choir will wow everyone with their voices.
Do you really have anything better going on this weekend that you can afford to miss all these amazing free concerts and dance performances?
Check the full schedule here.
2. Champagne and Chocolate
samsmartypants Supply gathering for someone's Bastille Day Birthday Bash #bastilleday #birthday #party #champagne #bubbly #bubbles #rose #beret #francophile
In the 8th floor of FIAF Le Skyroom (22 East 60th Street), there will be a variety of tastings on Sunday that will blow your literal mind.
Or if not your mind, at least your tastebuds.
The champagnes offered at these tastings will be among France's most prestigious, and will include Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Ruinart, among others.
The tastings will also feature chocolate tastings from a selection of European delicacies like Neuhaus, Chocolat Moderne, and Valrhona.
There will also be delicious, rich desserts and mini-pastries from Le Cirque to further pleasure your bellies.
There are two tastings on Sunday. One from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., and another from 3 to 4:30 p.m. If you love France, chocolate, dessert and champagne, this definitely sounds like the event for you.
Tickets are $55. Buy them here.
3. Wine, Cheese, Cocktails and Beer
From 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the FIAF Tinker Auditorium (22 East 60th Street), there will be plenty of French wines, cheese, beer, and cocktails for your tasting pleasure at FIAF's most popular tasting.
There will also be plenty of delectable Président cheese and Pain d’Avignon baguettes to eat.
Wash it all down with the wines will be from Bar Bordeaux, beers from Kronenbourg, and Ricard cocktails.
Tickets are $25, and will be sold the day of the event at the FIAF Info & Ticket Sales Booths, and the Ricard Booth.
4. Prize Drawing
There's a raffle, and one of the prizes in that raffle is an 8-day getaway to a premier resort in France.
Being a part of this raffle only costs $5. So the idea that you could wind up paying $5 for an 8-day trip to France is pretty astounding.
Other prizes include a 5-day trip to Paris and Bordeaux, a 3-day trip to New Orleans, first-class Swiss Travel Passes for a two-day stay in a Geneva hotel, a Fall French language course, and a variety of other travel and lifestyle prizes, beauty and shopping prizes, and food and drink prizes.
The drawing will take place at 4:45 p.m. on the Main Stage (Park Avenue and 60th Street), though you do not need to be present to win.
Peruse the full list of prizes here, and buy your tickets here. Online sales will close Friday, July 10th at 5 p.m.
5. Street Fair
wheelofbri Happy Bastille Day from a couple of BFF's and some weird blonde photobomber #vivelafrance #sacrebleu #bastilledaynyc #tbt
Booths along 60th Street will be selling French delicacies like crêpes, éclairs, and macarons, among other delicious food and drinks.
The street fair will also include face painting, arts and crafts, cooking classes, mime acts, and a vintage Citroën car show. Basically, it's going to be a blast.
There will also be French-themed market booths for you to shop in, travel booths to learn about a diversity of travel information, and the French Institute Alliance Française will have a both to provide information on French language and culture.
Check the full list of booths here.
Check out Prospect Park Food Truck Rally Is About to Take Over NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy: FCIA]