Bastille Day To-Do List: Block Parties, Coloring Contests, Booze

Image of Pix's Bastille Block Party courtesy Pix Patisserie

Bastille Day — la Fête Nationale that marks the start of the French Revolution — is kinda like Cinco de Mayo here in the United States: Who cares about the history when it provides a great reason to party on a weekday? Tomorrow, July 14, is the 220th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, and to foster some good French-related karma, Eater has your PDX-area Bastille Day event planner covered.

N. WILLIAMS: If it's not Portland's largest Bastille Day bash, it's probably the most fun: Pix Patisserie throws its fourth-annual block party all day on Saturday, beginning at 11am, with a fun run and bike scavenger hunt featuring foodie-friendly prizes. Other events include a "storming" of a giant cream-puff castle, waiter race, grape stomp, and performances by local bands — and in addition to cream puffs and macarons galore, Lompoc beer will be flowin alongside a whole Carlton Farms roasted pig. Donations to the Oregon Food Bank requested.

ALBERTA: NE's Suzette Crêperie unveils a special Bastille Day three-course menu featuring Dungeness crab and asparagus crepes. Reservations required and are close to being sold out — feelin lucky, punk?

DOWNTOWN: Longtime jazz hole Brasserie Montemarte revives its Bastille Day "coloring contest" this year: Local artists and amateurs are encouraged to stop in and create a unique work of art with using crayons and colored pencils.

NORTHWEST: The NW 22nd locale of Elephant's Deli is offering a 15% discount on all bottles of French wine, today and tomorrow, for take-home imbibing. Salut!