For over 90 years, the streets of Frenchtown have come alive each July with French flags, music, food, and community fellowship, honoring the neighborhood’s deep French-Caribbean roots. That longstanding tradition continues Tuesday, July 14, as the Frenchtown Civic Organization hosts its annual Bastille Day Celebration beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the French Heritage Museum and the Joseph Aubain Field parking lot.
The community celebration will feature live music by Oleik and the St. Barts Band, hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, and an evening program recognizing the enduring and cultural ties between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the French Caribbean. Guests are also invited to tour the French Heritage Museum, which will be open from 10:00 a.m. until the event concludes. The evening program will include welcoming remarks, guest speakers, and an interactive net-crafting demonstration celebrating one of the community’s traditional maritime skills.
Frenchtown Civic Organization President Cindy Richardson said the annual gathering is about more than commemorating a historical event in France, it’s about preserving the identity and legacy of the French community that helped shape St. Thomas. “Bastille Day has become one of the most meaningful traditions in our community because it celebrates where we come from while bringing people together in the present. Each year we honor the generations before us who worked hard to preserve our language, customs and stories, and we hope to inspire younger generations to continue that legacy”, said Richardson.
The French Heritage Museum serves as a center piece for historic preservation efforts in the community, sharing the stories of the French setters and their descendants whose contributions helped to shape the Virgin Islands we live in today. Richardson said the annual celebration offers residents and visitors alike an opportunity to experience that history firsthand.
“Whether your family has lived in Frenchtown for generations or you’re visiting for the first time, we want everyone to feel welcome. This celebration is about sharing our culture, strengthening community, and ensuring these traditions remain alive for generations to come”, said Richardson.
The celebration also highlights the continuing relationship between the Virgin Islands and the neighboring French islands, including St. Barthélemy, reflecting centuries of shared history, migration, and cultural exchange across the Caribbean.
For more information, contact the French Heritage Museums as frenchhmuseum@gmail.com.
