Bastille Day 2004

The town that isn’t really French, but is in so many ways, once again celebrated Bastille Day this year on Saturday and Sunday, July 17-18, 2004. Frenchtown got it’s name from a wealthy immigrant who came here in 1794 to purchase all the land that is now Frenchtown. Paul Henri Mallet-Prevost came to NJ from Paris, but was actually from an aristocratic Swiss banking family that had gained the favor of the King of France. At the time of the French Revolution, Mallet left France to escape the guillotine. To learn more of his story, go to our Frenchtown NJ History Page: The Malletian Era

Bastille Day is sponsored by The Frenchtown Business and Professional Association.

The Puppet Show

The Puppet Show this year was put on by River Union Stage of Frenchtown NJ.

The most popular events for Frenchtown’s Bastille Day, 2004 were all kid’s stuff. The first one’s was presented by River Union Stage. The troupe presented a free performance of a traditional puppet show to the delight of little ones and their parents complete with a tented whimsical puppet stage.

To learn more about River Union Stage of Frenchtown NJ, go to: Frenchtown NJ Theater Company

Bastille Day Clown

The Helium Clown/Balloon Lady was all over town for the weekend, entertaining young and old alike.

Helie had one of the best makeup jobs, and colorful outfits I have ever seen. She is shown here giving a free balloon sculpture tiger cat to a young customer in front of Gallassos Pizza on Bridge Street.

French Flag Banners

Bridge Street in Frenchtown NJ was all decked out for the weekend with French Flag Pennants and Bastille Day Banners.

Our colorful little town is always a touch brighter for our Bastille Day Fete, and this year was no exception. Shown here is a view down Bridge Street from the Bridge towards Cartoon Corner with Pardon My French, Stone Antiques, and The Chisel and Quill buildings in the back of the photo.

Bastille Day was originally sponsored by The Arts and Commerce Council of Frenchtown in July of 1998. [which I was involved in helping to make happen, but that's another story]

Frenchtown NJ has it’s own Miles of Mules Sculpture in “Bluemule”

The River Mule was one of the Big Stars of Bastille Day.

Old Blue is shown here standing proudly near the art gallery district. Old Blue was created by Barry Sharplin.

This tiny town in the country had it’s beginnings in 1741 as a ferry crossing. Frenchtown over the centuries has been called by many different names from Sunbeam NJ, to Calvin’s Ferry to Prevost Ferry to Alexandria New Jersey. The name that stuck however was Frenchtown. This came about when a wealthy Swiss gentleman who everyone thought was French because he spoke French, bought a huge tract of land here in 1794. That man was Paul Henri Mallet.