Having captured the
Les Halles' Bastille Day Celebration at Pennsylvania Avenue and 12th Street in NW Washington DC for several years in the past and since the closure of the
Washington DC location in
November 2008 I wasn't too sure where there may would be a similar celebration, in WDC, of the 2009 Bastille Day.
Searching Google I came across several references to a
Bastille Day Celebration at L'Enfant Cafe. While not familar with
L'Enfant Café + Bar, I knew exactly where 18th and Vernon Streets were since for several years I had visited two close friends (Bob & Joe) who once owned a townhouse on Vernon Street.
Having spent much of the 14 July afternoon exploring the
Southwest Heritage Trial I wasn't really up for heading to a venue that I was too familar with. But since some of the references also mentioned an
Adams Morgan Bastille Day Block Party I decided to check it out.
Having
opened in 2003, L'Enfant Café's first
Bastille Day Bash and French Maid Relay Race took place in 2004. With an increase in each year's attendence coupled with last November's closing of Les Halles / DC ... the
6th Annual Bastille Day 2009 Celebration at L'Enfant Cafe/Bar mushroomed into a Block Party.
And a block party, it was!
One of the three owners,
James Ball, costumed as Louis XIV paraded around as host and Master of Ceremony, sometimes with two Marie Antoinette's (one on each arm), while
DJ Dario had the crowd dancing in the street.
While I did not catch the details of the door prizes, proceeds from two raffles in addition to that from the $25 fee charged to each of the (25) French Maid race participate will be donated to
Make A Wish Foundation.
Though still under construction, click the above image to view my
Bastille Day Celebration - L'Enfant Cafe+Bar / WDC - 14 July 2009 album.
And here are the videos:
Here is my DJ Dario album from the event.
Not having been to Sounds in the Square since the 2007 Summer Concert Series I was looking forward to yesterday's visit.
