A Frenchman’s dedication to bringing a taste of his home country to Reading has earned him a Pride of Reading nomination.
For the last four years, French ex-pat Vinz Valère has turned Reading’s historic Forbury Gardens into a bustling French market to celebrate the anniversary of the beginning of the French Revolution and the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789.
In a bid to explain more about French culture to the people of Reading, Mr Valère enlisted the help of three French friends - Boubacar Dembélé, Eric Leray and Frédéric Kayrouz - to kick off the festival in 2012.
Not troubled with the bloody history that led to the storming of the Bastille and the French Revolution, some 2,500 French enthusiasts flocked to the gardens to embrace La France and enjoy a little Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.
And the fifth Bastille Festival Reading to be held next month on July 16 and 17 also promises to be a va va voom of an event, with a tasty entertainment menu of live music and dancing from a host of talented artists such as Fifield le Mair, Oriana et les Charmeurs, the Military Wives Choir and more.
A French feast of crispy pastries, hot crepes and sizzling sausages – not to mention, wine – will also be served.
Coming less than a month after the in/out EU referendum, it remains to be seen whether the fifth annual festival will be a celebration of what binds us to our Gallic neighbours or the differences that keep us apart.
Whatever the outcome at the polls, Bastille Festival Reading will offer a cross-cultural weekend of food, drink, arts and crafts and music.
Building a bridge between culture and understanding
Putting the free family French festival event forward as Event of the Year, Paul Franks, from Calcot, said: “I thought the Bastille Day festival was a good idea for Reading, and a great idea for the culture of the town.”
When told of his event’s nomination, Mr Valère, who lives in central Reading, said: “I'm really proud to be nominated for a Pride of Reading Award.”
When asked what it is about the Bastille Festival that makes him most proud, he said: “Being amongst all the people who have come to join us and are enjoying the experience, and I’m happy to be building the bridge between culture and understanding.”
To find out more, visitwww.bastilledayreading.co.uk.
The Cultural Award for Event of the Year is sponsored by M&G Real Estate.
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