Bastille Day is the French national holiday which is celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fete Nationale (The National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). It commemorates the 1790 Fete de la Federation, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Festivities are held on the morning of 14 July, on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic.
The Alliance Francaise des Bahamas celebrates the Bastille day celebrations every year on July 14th with an evening of fine dining. The Honorary French Consul, Mr. Dominic LEFEVRE gives a short, traditional speech. The event will be held at the lovely Balmoral Club on Sandford Drive on Thursday, July 14th at 7:00 pm and include a silent auction to raise funds for the Alliance Francaise cultural/non-profit events for the upcoming year.
Adrian d’Aguilar and Jazz Etc. well known local Jazz group comprised of Neil Symonette, Heston Dean and Anushka Wright will provide entertainment with a surprise rendition of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.
Local artists and businesses have all joined in to make the event one to remember. Many thanks to the sponsors and benefactors of the evening without whom none of this would have been possible: Thierry Lamare, artist; Societe Generale Private Banking, Burns House, Credit Agricole Suisse, Paris-Bahamas, Acces Oceane, Cafe Matisse, Balmoral Club, Alliance Française, Vanessa Scott, the volunteers and friends of the Alliance Francaise and Mr. Anthony Brzeski of Paris for giving us permission to use his exceptional Eiffel Tower photo for the event.
For more details and to reserve: www.afbahamas.org
