Get ready to fall in love with festival season – and with Bastille Days, bringing another round of culture, crepes, can-can dancers and more to Cathedral Square Park this year.
Themed "Milwaukee mon amour" – or "Milwaukee my love" for those who forgot all the French they took in high school – the 38th annual Bastille Days will run July 11-14 with its beloved lineup of tasty culinary creations, beautiful arts and crafts, and French culture, turning Cathedral Square Park into the closest thing to Paris other than booking an actual flight.
A key part of that energetic atmosphere are the live entertainment and music performances scattered throughout the weekend on stages all across the grounds – ranging this year from can-can dancers to local favorites and recent Kenosha-based "The Voice" contestant Betsy Ade. Also: something described as "James Brown-inspired heavy French funk." So that's a lot!
And speaking of a lot, here is the "Sacré bleu!"-inspiring list of performers coming to Bastille Days' stages this summer.
Thursday, July 11
Cathedral Square Park Stage
- 11 a.m. – Festival opens
- 11:45 a.m. – Keith Pulvermacher Band
- 5:30 p.m. – Lane Mack
- 7:15 p.m. – Keith Pulvermacher Band
- 9 p.m. – Associated Bank Storm the Bastille evening 5K fun run
- 9:15 p.m. – Lane Mack
Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage
- Noon – Chef demos
- 12:50 p.m. – Chef demos
- 1:40 p.m. – Chef demos
- 2:30 p.m. – WineMasters
- 3 p.m. – BeerMasters
- 3:40 p.m. – Door Peninsula Distillery
- 4:30 p.m. – Mambo Surfers
- 5:30 p.m. – Beer tapping
- 7 p.m. – Robin Pluer
- 9:45 p.m. – Extra Crispy Brass Band
Gruber Law Offices "One Call ... That's All!" Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Six Pack Sammy
- 1:45 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 2:30 p.m. – Sunspot
- 4:45 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 5:30 p.m. – Mixtape
- 8:25 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 9:20 p.m. – Big Spoon
Door Peninsula Winery Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – The Last Bees
- 12:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 2:30 p.m. – Ryan McIntyre
- 3:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:20 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:45 p.m. – BMAC
- 7 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 9 p.m. – The Whiskeybelles
Friday, July 12
Cathedral Square Park Stage
- 11:45 a.m. – Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
- 5:30 p.m. – CQMD - Ceux Qui Marchent Debout
- 7:15 p.m. – Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys
- 9:15 p.m. – CQMD - Ceux Qui Marchent Debout
Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage
- Noon – Chef demos
- 12:50 p.m. – Chef demos
- 1:40 p.m. – Chef demos
- 2:30 p.m. – WineMasters
- 3 p.m. – BeerMasters
- 3:40 p.m. – Door Peninsula Distillery
- 4:30 p.m. – Rebecca and the Grey Notes
- 7 p.m. – Reverend Raven and the Chain Smokin' Altar Boys
- 9:45 p.m. – Kelli and The Soul Mates
Gruber Law Offices "One Call ... That's All!" Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Hot by Ziggy
- 1:45 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 2:30 p.m. – Wise Jennings
- 4:45 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 5:30 p.m. – The UnXpected
- 8:30 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 9:15 p.m. – 5 Card Studs
Door Peninsula Winery Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Rudy & Vee
- 12:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 2:30 p.m. – Before Nitrogen
- 3:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:20 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:45 p.m. – Breakout Session
- 7 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 9 p.m. – The Squeezettes
Saturday, July 13
Cathedral Square Park Stage
- 10:30 a.m. – Kids/Family Day
- 4 p.m. – Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
- 5:15 p.m. – French Mass at St. John Cathedral
- 7 p.m. – Betsy Ade and the Well Known Strangers
- 9:15 p.m. – Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage
- Noon – Chef demos
- 12:50 p.m. – Chef demos
- 1:40 p.m. – Chef demos
- 2:30 p.m. – WineMasters
- 3 p.m. – BeerMasters
- 3:40 p.m. – Door Peninsula Distillery
- 4:30 p.m. – Valerie B and the Boyz
- 7 p.m. – Something To Do
- 9:45 p.m. – Jay Matthes Band
Gruber Law Offices "One Call ... That's All!" Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Jay Stulo Band
- 1:45 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 2:30 p.m. – Shelly Mack and The ReUnion
- 5:15 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 5:30 p.m. – The First Wave
- 8:30 p.m. – Madame Gigi's Outrageous French CanCans
- 9:15 p.m. – The Now
Door Peninsula Winery Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Michael Tinker Tierney
- 12:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 2:30 p.m. – DJ Scratch sessions
- 3:45 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:20 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 5:45 p.m. – Val Sigal
- 7 p.m. – Learn to speak French
- 9 p.m. – Extra Crispy Brass Band
Sunday, July 14
Cathedral Square Park Stage
- 1:30 p.m. – Robin Pluer
- 3 p.m. – Waiters-Waitresses Race
- 5:30 p.m. – The Rush Tribute Project
Madison Medical Affiliates Beaux Arts Stage
- Noon – Chef demos
- 12:50 p.m. – Chef demos
- 1:40 p.m. – Chef demos
- 2:30 p.m. – Chef demos
- 3 p.m. – WineMasters
- 3:20 p.m. – BeerMasters
- 3:50 p.m. – Door Peninsula Distillery
- 4:45 p.m. – Chris Haise Band
Gruber Law Offices "One Call ... That's All!" Stage
- Noon – Rico and Friends
- 2:30 p.m. – Brett and the Dandys
- 5 p.m. – Superfly
Door Peninsula Winery Stage
- 11:30 a.m. – Chansons de duo Twila Jean
- 2:15 p.m. – Tinker Boys
- 4:30 p.m. – Tinker Boys
- 4:45 p.m. – Boo Bradley
For more information on Bastille Days, visit the festival's website. And for more information on Milwaukee's summer festival season, check out OnMilwaukee's full festival guide.
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.