On 14 and 15 July 2018, the  Meat Market was home to the  Bastille Day French Festival for the fourth year in a row. It was a magnificient and fun way to celebrate the French National Day, and enjoy the French gastronomy, culture and history.

A special thanks to team of the Bastille Day French Festival and the volunteers without whom the Festival would not be such a vibrant success!

After the speeches by the Hon. Philip Dalidakis, Victorian Minister for Trade & Investment, Innovation & the Digital Economy, and Small Business, and by Ms Helen Kapalos, Chair of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, it was the new Mayor of Melbourne, the Right Honourable Sally Capp who officially declared the Festival open, in a very original fashion.. she sliced through a baguette!

The Hon. P. Dalildakis, Minister – The Right Hon. Sally Capp, Lord Mayor – M. Boisbouvier-Wylie, Honorary Consul of France

Jo Bertrand, Jane Gilmour, The Hon. P. Dalidakis, The Right Hon. Sally Capp, M. Boisbouvier-Wylie

Over the weekend,  the Bastille Day Festival transformed the Meat Market into a French village offering all sorts of activities for the enjoyment of the whole community. Music, food stalls and masterclasses offered a variety of experiences from sensory cheese and wine tasting for the curious to fencing programme for kids.

Art was also on display, with the Street Artists  Lucy Lucy, DNART and Fanny Devert  exhibiting, including with a live painting session. The Sur le Mur Exhibition was launched in presence of the Lord Mayor, The Hon. Inga Peulich, and members of the Consular Corps.  

On Saturday evening, Smokey Joe and the Kid, and groovy DJ Incontrolable made the crowd swing to their favourite Electro Swing and Vintage Remix, while comedian Fanny Bouffante entertained in between musical performances

His Excellency Mr. Christophe Penot, and General Consul of France in Sydney, Mr. Nicolas Croizer,  came on Sunday to close festival and attend to the draw of the  Grand Raffle organised thanks to Singapour Airlines.