MIWLAUKEE — More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the annual French celebration that kicks off Thursday with the Storm the Bastille 5K run.
The Eiffel Tower replica is up in Cathedral Square Park, signaling the return of Milwaukee's annual Bastille Days festival.
If you've been around Cathedral Square Park, you've already started to see the road closures as the city prepares for one of its most popular summer events.
Getting to the festival will require some planning. Starting Thursday at 11 a.m., the areas surrounding Cathedral Square Park will be restricted to electric scooter access, including dockless options like Lime that typically provide quick transportation around downtown.
Watch: Excitement comes as the Bastille Days festival returns to Milwaukee
The city's free streetcar, The Hop, which drops passengers off right by the park, will have extended service this weekend. On Friday and Saturday, service will last until 1 a.m., and Saturday will have an additional streetcar in use until 10 p.m.
Festival organizers are also running a parking promotion through Power Parking, offering 25% off parking with code PARIS.
"It's amazing, all these people in this small space, and it's very mellow, and it's such a different vibe than it normally is like for Jazz in the park or something," said Pamela Booth, who lives near the park. "I'd probably drive somewhere with a hop and get on the hop and take it here."
According to festival organizers, more than 100,000 people visit Bastille Days each year.
Thursday features a full day of events starting at 11:30 a.m., continuing until the highlight of the night, the Storm the Bastille 5K run.
Throughout the weekend, local vendors will line the streets and performers will fill the air with music, with festivities concluding Sunday afternoon.
Eddie Sturkey, the executive director of the East Town Association, which organizes the festival every year, noted that last year's event didn't see the attendance bump they expected during the Republican National Convention held in the city.
"It's those hundreds of, not only just the vendors and the artists and the entertainers that are a part of this great production, but everyone that puts their time and effort in our suppliers, every one we use is local to the Milwaukee area, whether it's our tents or our power. I think people feel more than anything a very welcoming and comfortable community environment," Sturkey said.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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