Bastille Day: How New York Celebrates July 14th

New York celebrates July 14th too! France's national holiday on July 14th is known in English as Bastille Day, marking the storming of the Bastille during the French Revolution.

Bastille Day: How New York Celebrates July 14th

How Is Bastille Day Celebrated in New York?

  • France celebrates its national holiday on July 14 each year with a traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées in Paris and popular celebrations organized by firefighters across the country. But did you know that New York joins in the festivities too?
  • French residents in New York gather on July 14 to celebrate Bastille Day. The name emphasizes the storming of the Bastille and the revolutionary origins of France’s national holiday.
  • The celebrations are organized by the French Consulate General in New York and the Alliance Française, which promotes French language and culture abroad. Note that for practical reasons, Bastille Day is always celebrated on the Sunday closest to July 14. In 2026, Bastille Day will take place on July 12.
Bastille Day New York
The French flag on Grand Army Plaza. (Photo Didier Forray)

The Bastille Day Festival on Madison Avenue

  • New York’s Bastille Day celebrations center on the Bastille Day Festival on Madison Avenue in Midtown. Mark your calendar for July 11, 2027, from noon to 5 pm on Madison Avenue between 59th and 63rd streets.
  • The avenue closes to traffic to make room for vendors selling French specialties. You can sample cheese, wine, crêpes, and the classics: croissants, pain au chocolat, and fresh baguettes.
  • The festival draws over 30,000 visitors each year, many of them New Yorkers curious about French culture. You’ll also meet plenty of French expats enjoying a taste of home. Belgians and Swiss visitors come too.
Bastille Day New York
Bastille Day on 60th Street in New York. (Photo Didier Forray)
Bastille Day New York
French bread, but change given in dollars! (Photo Didier Forray)
Bastille Day New York
A crêpe? (Photo Didier Forray)
Bastille Day New York
Bastille Day on 60th Street. (Photo Didier Forray)

The Madison Avenue Festival in Video

The Bastille Day Concert 2027 Program

  • Another major July 14 event in New York is the traditional Bastille Day concert. This free concert will take place on July 11, 2026 at 5 pm in Central Park. The 2027 program has not yet been announced, but this page will be updated as soon as details are released.
  • Head to the lawn at Rumsey Playfield, the outdoor concert space on the East side of Central Park. Enter via Fifth Avenue at 72nd Street.
  • Arrive when doors open at 5 pm if you want a good spot near the stage. The concert ends at 10 pm. The map to Rumsey Playfield is below.

The French Community in New York

  • The French Consulate General in New York reports that 21,908 people are officially registered as French residents in New York. However, the consulate estimates the total French community in New York at between 60,000 and 70,000 people.