Montclair’s celebration of Bastille Day, France’s national holiday marking the 1789 storming of the Bastille prison, is moving to Kip’s Castle this year, and it is no longer just one night. L’Alliance New York’s annual celebration has grown into a two-day event, running Friday, July 10, through Saturday, July 11, with a French shopping day and a film screening joining the calendar.
Here is what the expanded weekend actually looks like, starting with the party that started it all.
Why the Bastille Day Garden Party Is Moving to Kip’s Castle
The Garden Party has been a Montclair fixture since 2008, but it has never been held at Kip’s Castle before. The Norman-style landmark, perched with unobstructed New York City skyline views, hosts the party Friday, July 10, from 6 to 10 p.m. Guests get a cocktail reception and a French country buffet from Cuisine Boulud, chef Daniel Boulud’s catering arm. There are desserts from Montclair-based pastry chef Janelle Manning, plus live jazz, wine and cheese. The raffle has a prize that will make anyone stop scrolling: two round-trip Air France tickets from New York to Paris.
Marie-Catherine Glaser, executive director of the Montclair Campus of L’Alliance New York, framed the expansion as a deliberate widening of the celebration rather than a one-off change. “Together, these community partnerships extend the celebration throughout Montclair and invite residents and visitors alike to discover the unique blend of culture, creativity and community spirit that makes our town so special while supporting local businesses,” Glaser said in a statement.
L’Alliance New York’s celebrations don’t stop in Montclair. The organization also turns Manhattan’s Madison Avenue into what it describes as the largest Bastille Day celebration outside France on Sunday, July 12, drawing more than 50,000 visitors. But this year Montclair’s own weekend is big enough to stand on its own.
Montclair French Shopping Day Returns for a Second Year
Montclair French Shopping Day returns for a second year on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it has picked up a notable new partner: Atout France, the country’s national tourism development agency, signaling this has grown past a neighborhood promotion into something with real institutional weight. The event, developed with the Montclair Center Business Improvement District, known locally as the BID, is free and open across town. Shoppers collect stamps at participating stops for French-themed tastings, special offers and family activities. A completed passport enters them into a raffle stocked with prizes from local businesses and a grand prize hotel stay in France.
A French Film Joins the Weekend for the First Time
For the first time, Montclair’s Bastille Day weekend includes a movie. The Clairidge screens “Leave One Day” (“Partir un jour”), a 2025 comedy-drama by Amelie Bonnin, Saturday at 5:30 p.m., presented in partnership with Montclair Film. The screening also marks the debut of a new member benefit in town: L’Alliance New York members now get complimentary access to select French-language screenings at The Clairidge and Bellevue Theaters. For a town that already treats its film festival like a badge of pride, folding French cinema into the Bastille Day weekend is a natural next step.
Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
Friday, July 10, 6 to 10 p.m.: Bastille Day Garden Party at Kip’s Castle Park. Tickets available on their website.
Saturday, July 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Montclair French Shopping Day at locations across town. Free, no registration.
Saturday, July 11, 5:30 p.m.: French film screening of “Leave One Day” at The Clairidge. Buy your tickets on the website.
Tickets and registration for all three events are available through L’Alliance New York’s event page. Get there Friday for Kip’s Castle, come back Saturday for the shopping day and the movie, and decide for yourself whether Montclair or Madison Avenue gets the better party this Bastille Day.
