Make room Sydney: our annual Bastille Festival is returning in July for its eleventh year, taking over Circular Quay and surrounds with cosy French frivolity, food and wine—as always, entry is free.
Indulgent French food is the major drawcard, so there'll be more than 70 pop-up restaurants, stalls and dining terraces showcasing the best of French cuisine from the Alps to Brittany. You'll be able to load up on escargot, sweet and savoury crepes, raclette, macarons and croissants, saucisson, tartiflette 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 French wine bars covering Bordeaux to Provence, plus cosy mulled wine chalets and French craft beer bars in First Fleet Park. Serious wine enthusiasts can book in 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, a passport to be stamped at each location, and a map to guide you on your Tour De France—they're priced at $39 for four tastings, or $69 for all eight.
Image credit: Sydney Bastille Festival | Supplied
For those more keen on the culture than the cuisine, 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. The program hasn't been revealed yet, but you can check it out and get tickets (which include a lawn chair and cosy blanket) on the website when they go live.
As well as the delicious food and drink offering, the Bastille Festival will also host more than 50 performances across multiple stages, including live bands, DJs, dance and street performances, live drawing and fire artists.
The Details
What: Bastille Festival 2024
When: Thursday 11–Sunday 14 July 2024
Where: Circular Quay and surrounds, Sydney CBD
Cost: Free entry
Now, check out the best French restaurants in Sydney.
Main image credit: Crystal Jo