The French Are Coming! Bastille Day in Brooklyn This Sunday, July 15 - UPDATED

Get ready for Brooklyn's 10th annual celebration of French food, French music, pastis drinks and the world-famous Petanque tournament: The biggest Bastille Day party in the U.S. is coming to Smith Street this Sunday, July 15.

Keeping alive the tradition of playing drink in hand.

Once again a sizable chunk of Smith Street will be covered with sand for Petanque, played with tennis ball-sized metal balls (boules). Competitors from 80 teams 64 - 70 teams will throw their boules so they will land close to a little ball called a "pig" (cochonnet). UPDATE: The Brooklyn Eagle explains why not all 80 teams can compete.

French bistro Bar Tabac is the main restaurant sponsor this year. (Sadly, traditional co-sponsor Robin des Bois closed its doors in January.)

Brunch starts at Bar Tabac at 11 a.m., where you can watch Smith Street transform under tons of sand. The festivities continue until 10 p.m.


The event was founded by Bette Stoltz of the South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation along with restaurants Bar Tabac and Robin des Bois, and is sponsored by French apéritif company Ricard.

Past Posts:
- Brooklyn's Bastille Day 2011
- Brooklyn's Bastille Day, 2010
- Brooklyn Bastille Day 2009 -- Great Day, Big Crowds
 - Bastille Day in Brooklyn 2008: The French Conquer Smith Street 
- Bastille Day in Brooklyn 2007 -- La Rue de Smith Sautait!

Photos by MK Metz, video by Ricard

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