The Bastille Day Challenge

July 14, 1789: Democracy in action.

    Tomorrow marks the big 222 for one of the seminal moments that helped to bring about the Regency era. On 14 July 1789 a mob of several hundred stormed the infamous Bastille prison in Paris seeking to secure arms and ammunition for the revolt against King Louis XVI.  Since 1880, France has celebrated the fête nationale (national celebration) on the 14th, celebrating the end of feudalism that followed the storming of the fortress.

    For 130 years the people of France have welcomed the day with fireworks, feasts, a military parade, and taking pride in just being French. Traditionally, traffic offenses were pardoned on this date and the president held a state of the nation interview with the press, although the current president seems to be a bit of a spoilsport in this respect.

    In this country, July 14 usually passes unnoticed except as the day before payday for many. However, in some areas, there really is a throwdown to celebrate the occasion. And in some cases the celebration has become almost insanely elaborate.

    So, in honor of the date, REGAL issues this challenge: send your pictures of how you celebrated Bastille Day to the REGAL Facebook page, or comment below. Now's the time to get out your liberty cap and baguette and get out that copy of A Tale of Two Cities. If you happen to have the head of a royalist mounted on a pike in your closet, now would be a great time to get it out. Or go to the nearest hamburger joint and have a big cup of French fries. Big or little, elaborate or plain, just drop us a line and let us know how you got your Bastille on.