Hi. My name’s Alice. Unlike my counterpart in the famous book, I am not curious or adventurous by nature. I made a resolution to change that, however, and I invite you to join me on my continuing journey to discover Littleton, Colorado.

Bonjour! I’m feeling so French now that I’ve experienced Littleton’s version of Bastille Day, which took place on July 14 – 15, 2006. Before I went, I checked the Internet for some information on this French national holiday.

Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14 each year. It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, which was held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. In 1789, the people of Paris stormed this prison, where political prisoners (whose writings had displeased the royal government) were held. There were only 7 inmates at the time, but their siege of the prison was seen as a rallying point and symbolic act of rebellion against the absolutism of the monarchy.

In France, the day is celebrated with military parades, then the president gives a sort of State of the Union address and hosts a garden party at the Palais de l’Elysée. In Littleton, we had a two-day celebration in the Reinke Bros. parking lot.

I braved the scorching heat to wander from booth to booth, checking out the vendors’ wares and sampling all the food. I enjoyed crêpes, French soda, pizza, barbeque, and, last but not least, ice cream. (I would have loved it if they’d arranged some of those small, round outdoor tables and chairs so that I could’ve pictured myself at a bistro on the Champs-Élysées.)
By this time, a breeze had sprung up, giving us a break from the heat and lightening everyone’s spirits. I enjoyed chatting with the people from Ambience Provence, Tres Jolie, and Babette’s Feast, as well as the Alliance Francaise de Denver and the Denver Sister Cities representatives. The Swing Shop’s booth puzzled me for a moment, but apparently they play a lot of golf in France.

There was also an area where you could sit in the shade and listen to live music and, I understand, view a fashion show. Unfortunately, there was no entertainment taking place while I was there, but in talking to other attendees, I learned that it had been very enjoyable.
My favorite part of the entire day (other than the food) was the miniature Eiffel Tower, which was strung with tiny white lights. I’ll bet that at night it looked just like the original! 

Background of Bastille Day in Littleton

This is the first of a series of other culture celebrations that will be sponsored by HDLM (Historic Downtown Littleton Merchants) and an organization related to the culture in the country being honored.

According to Greg Reinke, the series was conceived when he noticed that almost all the people he saw on Main Street were apparently from the same culture. He wanted us to see other cultures as they were experienced by the people who lived there.

He approached HDLM and the Colorado French Chamber who agreed to sponsor the Bastille Day event. Reinke Brothers built the set and provided their parking lot.