Bastille Day - This Saturday @ Director Park
This coming Saturday, July 13, Portland will host the largest Bastille Festival on the West Coast, drawing visitors from the region, from neighboring states and from as far away as New York. The 11th annual event, to be held in Director Park from noon to 6 p.m., features even more bands (9 groups), vendors (28) and children's activities than last year. A highlight will be the 9th Annual Portland Waiter's Race. A web-resolution version of the event brochure (1MB) is available by clicking here. Also, scroll through the articles below for direct access to specific listings (menus, exhibitor lists, etc.). Printed programs will also be available at Director Park on Saturday.
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Art Exhibit, Guillotine Photos & More
New this year: a joint exhibit of art work from all of Portland's French immersion schools. One of the 30 works to be exhibited is this piece by a 7 year-old who attends L'Etoile French Immersion; the work is in gouache, using mosaics. The show will also include award-winning photos from the international Plan�te Femmes exhibit. Also new this year: festival-goers will have the chance to take souvenir photos at a Guillotine station! The victim gets to pop their head into the guillotine while their executioner poses. The photo-op is provided by WillaKenzie Estate Winery (www.willakenzie.com); look for the guillotine at the tents operated by State Farm at the festival.
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Cognac Cocktails, Cider and French Cuisine
National and regional representatives of A. Hardy USA Ltd. will be featuring innovative cocktails with Hardy Cognac, Joseph Cartron Framboise and Thatcher's Elderflower Organic Liqueur. Also available in the wine garden will be French wine, Oregon beer (BridgePort Brewing), Lillet (red, white and ros�), and, for the first time, European-style craft cider, Virtue Cider. Click here for the wine, beer and cider choices, and here for the cocktails. To complement the excellent offerings in the wine garden, visitors will enjoy French-themed offerings from booths representing a number of Portland's top restaurants, including the Heathman Restaurant, C'est Si Bon, St Honor� Boulangerie and Brasserie Montmartre, as well as ice cream (Ben & Jerry's). Click here for the food booths' menus.
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French Imports, Paris Trip and Class Raffles
Bastille Day will host close to 30 vendors and exhibitors; click here for the complete list. Visit the Alliance booth for Bastille souvenir T-shirts, French gift cards (somewhat scandalous; visit the booth to see why!), French flags, the new Vintage France CD release of Putumayo and more. Also visitors can buy tickets for the raffle of $2400 in prizes donated by Avanti Destinations and the Heathman Hotel. For raffle details, click here. The winners' names will be drawn at the close of the festival on July 13; winners need not be present to win. Tickets can also be purchased online, prior to July 12. The Alliance booth will also have a free raffle for 10-week class (value $285) and other prizes.
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Children's Activities, Music and Waiters Race
Several exhibitors will offer activities for children throughout the park. Click here for the list of options and visit the FAIS sponsor tent for professional airbrush face-painting. On the entertainment side of things, 9 groups will be performing throughout the day on the main stage, representing genres from opera to Cajun-country-folk to West African Jazz Fusion. Click here for the entertainment schedule. Note that the singing of the Marseillaise by Whitney Martin precedes the Portland Waiters Race, and that the women's cycling club, Sorella Forte, will also be in the activities line-up! Also look for a 2CV exhibit by John Blackwell; click here for the program extract on that iconic French automobile.
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Summer Term in progress - some late enrollments possible.
Visit www.afportland.org
or call 503.223.8388.
Conversation Groups
Hosted by Alliance staff or board members. Drop-ins welcome; membership is encouraged but not required.
NW Portland
St Honor� on NW Thurman on Wed., July 17 at 6:00 p.m.
SE Portland
At Chez Machin, Mon., Aug. 12 at 7:00 p.m. & at Vie de Boh�me weekly on Sundays, 4-5:30 p.m.
SW Portland / Vancouver
The Lake Oswego & Lapellah/Vancouver groups are breaking for the summer
Bastille Premium Sponsors
Annual In-Kind Sponsors
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