Make room Sydney: our annual Bastille Festival is returning in July 2025, taking over Circular Quay and surrounds with cosy French frivolity, food and wine and—as always—entry is free.
“This 12th edition is all about going bigger, bolder, and more immersive," says festival founder Vincent Hernandez, "offering Sydneysiders and visitors a true ‘Tour de France’ of flavours, sights, and sounds.”
Indulgent French food is the major drawcard, so there'll be more than 120 pop-up restaurants, stalls and dining terraces showcasing the best of French cuisine. You'll be able to load up on escargot, sweet and savoury crepes, melting raclette, macarons and croissants, saucisson, and a huge array of cheeses.
Image credit: Sydney Bastille Festival | Facebook
The Sydney Bastille Festival will once again have an epic wine program, with eight French wine bars covering regions from Bordeaux to Provence, plus mulled wine, spiced hot cider, beer bars, and cocktail stations—over 18 in total. In 2025, there'll be two bars dedicated to Champagne, with oyster and seafood pairings rounding out the premium sipping experience.
Serious wine enthusiasts can get tickets for The Bastille Wine Walk, a 1.4-kilometre tasting trail exploring eight French wine regions. Tickets include a glass to take home, your wine tastings, express bar access, and a passport to be stamped at each tasting location—stay tuned for when they go on sale.
Image credit: Sydney Bastille Festival | Supplied
For those more keen on the culture than the cuisine, there'll be more than 100 free performances including concerts, dance lessons, acrobatic displays, street theatre and more. Le Mulled Wine Cinema will return with classic and new-school French films on the Cadman’s Cottage lawn overlooking the Harbour and Opera House, while Friday’s French cabaret night and Saturday’s French DJ party will turn things up.
The Details
What: Sydney Bastille Festival 2025
When: Thursday 17 July–Sunday 20 July, 2025
Where: Circular Quay and surrounds, Sydney CBD
Cost: Free entry
Learn more: On the website
Now, check out the best French restaurants in Sydney.
Main image credit: Bastille Festival | Supplied