How to feel French Waiters once a year. People could have called it the ‘’Frenchie Day’’ but they named it ‘’The Bastille Day’’. At coffee shops, people could have called them ‘’waiter!’’ but a lot of them are using the French word ‘’garçon!’’ when they need something.
So what the hell is the Bastille Day – that spreads every year throughout the continents – and why the hell are the waiters often celebrated on the Bastille Day?
All the answers below.
Bastille Day Origin
As always, nothing better than a short history lesson. Those last years, The Bastille Day has become all around the world the day celebrating the French culture. However, not a lot of people know that the Bastille Day indeed coincides with the French national holiday and that it celebrates an historical event. The Bastille Day is held on the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1789, which signaled the beginning of the world famous French revolution and indeed the end of the monarchy in France and the beginning of the democratic era.
Every year, French people celebrate the ‘’Fete Nationale’’ on July 14th on the famous Champs Elysees avenue in Paris.
Bastille Day celebrations all around the world
At first, the French expatriates were the ones who began celebrating their national holiday everywhere they found themselves in the world.
But certainly because the Bastille Day became a democratic symbol not only in France but in many countries and certainly also because the French culture has always been appreciated abroad, it has become very popular everywhere, to celebrate it. As expected, everywhere, French consulates and embassies have rapidly followed the trend and started to promote it and to help cities organize Bastille Day celebrations.
Today, Bastille Day is celebrated on the 5 continents through parades, food and fireworks…and waiters races!
Bastille Day and the famous Course des garçons de café: a good mix?
Indeed, French waiters seem to represent the waiters profession and to be their emblem (or at least the symbol of the traditional ones). They convey the spirit of politeness, elegance, discretion and reliability that many restaurants all around the world have tried (with success or not) to imitate.
Therefore, the Bastille Day which celebrates the French culture appeared to be a perfect date to put the waiters on their honour. It is also an opportunity to add a fun and appreciated entertainment to the other French-themed events organized during that day.
The list of cities that organize a waiters race, course des garçons de café, during their Bastille Day expands every year: Washington, London, Boston, Chicago, Portland, Palm Beach are just a few examples.
Bastille Day and Brands
Many big brands (most of them French ones but not only) have seen a great opportunity in sponsoring that French event and being associated to the French image abroad.
E.g - Air France has been sponsoring Bastille Days a few times (Chicago, London); asame with Renaud (London), the camembert President (New York), American Airlines (New York), Coca Cola (the list of Bastille Day sponsored could be very long….).
Brands that sponsor Waiters races can be more specific such a beverage, wine or alcohol brands or restaurants: Perrier, Bordeaux wines, Kronenbourg but can just be local business (hotels, restaurants, coffees places etc…) or cities organizations, professional associations and hotels that want to be associated to the French image or who mainly would like to promote the restaurants and hotels industry
How to organize a Bastille Day and/or a course des garçons de café in your town?
There is a list of items you should think about when preparing a Bastille Day and/or a waiters race: list of events for each age, prizes, booths design, equipment etc… apart communicating and marketing your event.
But don’t forget you can begin by organizing a discreet event if that’s the first time for you. A waiters race alone, even if there is no other events around is largely sufficient if you just wish to organize a fun event in your city.
You are also welcome to contact Waitersrace.com’s team who will do its best to help you and give you some advices.
Otherwise, you can also try to contact ones of the French institutions of your city or area (French embassy, Alliance Française, French office of tourism etc…). They can help you organize that event or/and sponsor it.
Sources
Wikipedia
