THE 202: Cafe L'Enfant: Bastille Day Street Bash

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Cafe L'Enfant: Bastille Day Street Bash

“To celebrate their 9th Annual Bastille Day Block Party and French Maid Race, L’Enfant Café Bar adds aerialists to a line-up that includes a French maid race, can-can dancers, masquerade ball and raffle for two round-trip tickets from Washington (DCA) to Paris (CDG), courtesy of U.S. Airways. The party runs 3-11 p.m. on Saturday, July 13. Says co-owner Jim Ball, “We are sticklers to tradition and will celebrate Bastille Day on Saturday night – along with the French. Vivre le time difference!”

In less than a decade, this event has grown to become the largest Bastille Day party in the Western Hemisphere. Co-hosted by King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette – who look a strikingly similar to L’Enfant’s co-owners Jim Ball and Christopher Lynch – L’Enfant’s Bastille Day Block Party will take over Vernon Street, NW, between 18th and19th Streets. Doors open at 3p.m. The street party concludes at 11p.m.

Entry to D.C.’s most revolutionary summer party is $6.

Guests are invited to chill to DJs and enjoy five street bars serving beer:

Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Leffe, white wine and a vodka cocktail. A food truck station will offer refreshments from popular purveyors including DC Slices, Rito Loco and Pleasant Pops.

French maid relay race will start at 6 p.m. L’Enfant will provide costumes for 40 competitors. Racers must each wear the extremely short black and white dress to participate. The winner is the first to fill a Champagne glass with soupspoons of water by running back and forth across the street the coupe. Says Ball, “It’s got all of the fun and excitement of the Grand Prix, and none of the elegance.”

After the race, DJ booths will be rolled into Vernon Street and Queen Marie Antoinette will gift all attendees with a mask.”