Bastille Day Festival at Eastern State Penitentiary

Date

July 10, 2010

The Experience

Grab a pitchfork and storm the walls! Whether you’re a revolutionary or a royalist, there’s something for you in this celebration of all things French at Bastille Day at the Eastern State Penitentiary.

The 17th annual celebration has become one of Philadelphia’s most popular summertime events, attracting thousands of visitors each year into the massive shadow of the penitentiary’s main wall to commemorate the storming of the Bastille by French revolutionaries.

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, July 10 when dozens of French revolutionaries, armed with muskets and cannon, and singing “La Marseilles,” storm the grim walls of “the Bastille” (Eastern State Penitentiary) and drag Marie Antoinette to a real, functioning guillotine, built for the occasion.

The block party in front of the prison commences at 5:30 and lasts into the night.

After the storming, the party spills into the charming neighborhood of Fairmount, as restaurants and bars host wonderful French dinner specials and alfresco celebrations throughout the evening.

Insider Tip

The 11-acre Eastern State Penitentiary is also the site of art exhibits, theater performances and other special events. Come early and take a tour — or stay late and take a 25-minute evening tour following the reenactment.

Flickr Slideshows

To get a preview of the scene at Eastern State Penitentiary on Bastille Day, check out these great slideshows on Flickr by Flickr users icky and dragonballyee.