Milwaukee’s Bastille Days is among the largest French-themed festivals in the country and draws more than 250,000 visitors annually.
Time lapse video of the Bastille Days 2023 Eiffel Tower replica going up
See a time lapse video of the Bastille Days 2023 Eiffel Tower replica going up in Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee for this weekend’s festival.
Mike De Sisti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
It’s mid-July, the days are getting hotter, and the 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica is back up in Cathedral Square Park, which can only mean one thing: Bastille Days is right around the corner.
The sprawling, four-day French festival will once again take over downtown Milwaukee this week. Milwaukee’s Bastille Days is among the largest French-themed festivals in the country and draws more than 250,000 visitors annually, according to the East Town Association.
From beignets to road closures, here’s everything to know about Bastille Days 2025:
What does Bastille Days celebrate?
The Milwaukee festival is in honor of the Bastille Day, a French national holiday celebrated on July 14 every year.
The holiday commemorates the fall of the Bastille prison, a medieval fortress that became a French state prison under the rule of King Louis XVI. On July 14, 1789, a group of Parisians stormed the prison, thereby sparking the French Revolution, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
When and where is Bastille Days?
Bastille Days will take place in and around Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St., from Thursday, July 17 to Sunday, July 20.
From Thursday through Saturday, the festival will run from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. On Sunday, it’ll run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
How much does it cost to go to Bastille Days?
The festival is free to attend. You can purchase food, drinks, souvenirs and other goods while there.
Storm the Bastille 5K: Race time, route, how to register
To kick off Bastille Days, thousands will take to downtown streets as part of the annual Storm the Bastille 5K. The walk and run commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which led to the French Revolution.
The race will start at 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 17. For runners, it’ll be a 3.1-mile route starting at North Jefferson Street. Walkers, meanwhile, can complete a 1.5-mile route at the race’s halfway point in front of the Milwaukee Athletic Club.
Registration is $40 and includes a T-shirt, timed bib, and post-race beer or bottled water. You can register online here.
Owner of Xavier’s Crepes talk about the Bastille Day
Xavier Pilsudski, owner of Xavier’s Crepes talks about why he started his business and Bastille Day at Milwaukee Bastille Days in Cathedral Square.
Bastille Days food, activities and entertainment
Bastille Days is jam-packed with entertainment, music, food and drink.
If you’re hungry, there will be more than two dozen food and drink tents around the festival, including a beignets tent, churning out deep-fried squares of dough dusted with powdered sugar all weekend long. Other food vendors include Milwaukee Pretzel Company, Lupi & Iris, Lagniappe Brasserie, Xavier’s Crepes and Peter Sciortino Bakery, to name just a few.
The first 100 attendees on Thursday can also grab a free slice of French-themed cake.
In terms of entertainment, four stages around the festival will feature an all-day lineup that includes French Can-Can dancers, local musicians and mini French lessons. You can also wander the festival and enjoy the roaming busker musicians playing throughout the day.
For families, the festival will put on a special slate of activities geared specifically to kids from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The free activities and performances include magic acts, juggling tricks, caricature artists and mini French lessons.
Bastille Days 2025 road closures
Several downtown road closures will be in effect in the week before, after and during the festival, particularly the roads surrounding Cathedral Square Park.
The following roads will be closed from 10 a.m. on Monday, July 14 to 10 a.m. on Monday, July 21:
East Kilbourn Avenue from North Milwaukee Street to North Jackson StreetNorth Jefferson Street from East Wells Street to East Kilbourn Avenue
In addition to the ones above, the following roads will be closed from 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15 to 5 p.m. on Monday, July 21:
East Kilbourn Avenue from North Jackson Street to North Van Buren StreetNorth Milwaukee Street from East Kilbourn Avenue to East State StreetNorth Jackson Street from East Wells Street to East State StreetEast Wells Street from North Milwaukee Street to North Van Buren Street
The route of the Storm the Bastille 5K will also be closed to traffic from 8 p.m. to about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 17. The route runs as follows:
Participants will assemble on North Jefferson Street from East Wells Street to East Mason Street.Participants will then run south on North Jefferson Street to East Wisconsin Avenue, east on Wisconsin to North Prospect Avenue, north on Prospect to East State Street, west on State to North Jackson Street, north on Jackson to East Juneau Avenue, west on Juneau to North Broadway Avenue, south on Broadway to East Menomonee Street, east on Menomonee to North Milwaukee Street, north on Milwaukee to East Wisconsin Avenue, east on Wisconsin to North Jefferson Street, and north on Jefferson tothe finish line.Parking will also be restricted from 5 to 10 p.m. on race day on both sides of North Jefferson Street from East Wisconsin Avenue to East Wells Street. Violators may be towed.Bastille Days parking
There are at least 10 garages and surface lots within blocks of Cathedral Square Park, and Bastille Days is offering a discount code for attendees who purchase parking for the festival. You can purchase parking here, and make sure to enter the discount code “PARIS” for 25% off.
There is also metered street parking, free in the evening and on Sunday, surrounding the festival, but these spots often fill up quickly.
How to take The Hop to Bastille Days
If you want to avoid the parking hunt, Milwaukee’s free streetcar stops right in the middle of festival grounds. Just take The Hop’s M-Line to the Cathedral Square stop.
On Thursday, July 17, The Hop will pause service starting at 9 p.m. for the Storm the Bastille 5K. Find more information here about The Hop’s routes and schedules.
More information about Bastille Days 2025
For more information about Bastille Days, visit easttown.com/bastille-days.
This story was updated to correct an error.