Art Soiree’s annual Bastille Day celebration brought all things French to Sofitel D.C.
By Sara Cooper
Guests pose with “Marie Antoinette” and “Napoleon” (Photo by Reggie Bell)
July’s freedom festivities continued in Washington last week as guests partied at Art Soiree’s annual Bastille Day Celebration at Sofitel Lafayette Square. People of all ages dressed in their finest and came out to celebrate France with champagne, macaroons, cake and live music in the ballroom.
Sandro Kereselidze (Photo by Reggie Bell)
After being greeted by a costumed Napoleon at the door for a photo opportunity with a fabulous art installation by Nena Depaz, guests kick started their evening early with a complimentary champagne tasting by Veuve Clicquot. The crisp and flavorful champagne was just right and many people returned for more as the night continued.
Several trays full of macaroons provided by Celebrity Cruises quickly disappeared; the chocolate and coconut varieties were certainly a crowd favorite, but the lime was also delightfully light and summery. The huge range of flavors made it hard for anyone to have just one – thankfully, there were more than enough to go around.
The Bitter Dose Combo supplied the live music for the evening. The band, which included a trumpet and an accordion, had just the right flair to get guests out on the dance floor to celebrate the day. They alternated catchy and familiar upbeat tunes with slower songs, allowing everyone to find something that got their toes tapping and grab a partner to try out a few new moves.
Marie Antoinette (Photo by Reggie Bell)
Napoleon wasn’t the only familiar face – Marie Antoinette also made an appearance at the party, and mingled with guests for photos and a cake cutting complete with sparklers and confetti cannons. Smothered in blueberries and stuffed with sweet strawberry slices, her cake disappeared almost as soon as it was cut in true celebratory fashion.
Art Soiree’s Sandro Kereselidze took a break from partying in his Napoleon costume to express what everyone who attended was almost certainly thinking: “It’s a Tuesday, but it feels like a Saturday!” And it absolutely did feel like a Saturday, right down to the carefree smiles and celebratory shouts from so many of the guests.
Find out about more events at artsoiree.com and view all photos from the Bastille Day celebration on Art Soiree’s Facebook page.
