If your dream day includes hot melted cheese, mulled wine, a little bit of Champagne and a c’est la vie attitude, then it’s time to clear your calendar, because Bastille Festival is back this May, and it’s shaping up to be an event you won’t want to miss.
The beloved French-inspired celebration is returning to the city with a packed lineup of food, wine, entertainment and immersive experiences, transforming the city into a little slice of Europe.
For the foodies
For food lovers, this year’s festival features a menu that reads like the ultimate French comfort-food bucket list. You’ll be able to get your hands on everything from grilled cheese baguettes from the Alpine Melt House, buttery garlic escargots straight out of Burgundy, traditional Alsatian sauerkraut, savoury Provençal pissaladière tarts, and Rhône Valley-style saucisson baguettes loaded with cured meats and flavour. Arriving hungry is highly recommended.
With a huge lineup of winter cocktails from Casa Spirits, including Cinnamon Whiskey, Agave Espresso Martinis and Casa Negronis, it’s the ultimate combination to warm you up.
If you’re like me and can’t decide what to try, then the festival’s Food Passport is the perfect option. It provides visitors access to a curated tasting journey through some of France’s most iconic regional dishes. Le Food Passport comes at two price points, $35 for three tastings or $55 for five tastings.
Wine lovers are equally spoiled for choice. The Le Wine Passport, priced at $29 for three tastings or $49 for five tastings, allows festivalgoers to sip their way through five renowned French wine regions, including Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, Alsace and the Rhône Valley. There is also a Le Combo Passport, giving guests the best of both worlds!
For the wine lovers
For those looking for something a little more elevated, the Wine & Cheese Feast is the perfect option. The hosted experience pairs imported French cheeses with premium regional wines, guided by a sommelier who’ll take guests through the flavours, history and perfect pairings behind each sip and bite.
And for anyone feeling particularly fancy, the Champagne High Tea is expected to be one of the festival’s standout experiences. Located inside a beautifully styled garden space, guests can indulge in flowing Champagne alongside delicate pastries and sweet French treats in a seriously chic setting.
For the Film Lovers
For film lovers, Le Cinéma will once again bring cosy outdoor movie nights to the festival, screening beloved French classics and modern favourites under the stars. Films including Amélie, Moulin Rouge!, Driving Madeleine and Return of the Hero will be shown in their original language with English subtitles, best enjoyed rugged up with a blanket and something warm in hand.
Entertainment will run from midday until late, with cancan dancers, live music, DJs and roaming performers bringing energy across the festival grounds all weekend long. One particularly exciting addition this year is a special preview performance of Carmen ahead of its full production at Her Majesty’s Theatre later this year.
So whether you’re there for the cheese, the Champagne, the cinema or simply an excuse to lean into a European winter fantasy for the day, Bastille Festival is shaping up to be one seriously delicious French adventure. Catch all the action from May 28th to May 31st at Festival Plaza.
Bastille Festival
When: May 28th to May 31st
Where: Festival Plaza Adelaide
For more information, click here.
