Dean Street’s Bar Tabac and other New York area hot spots will host the 6th annual Bastille Day Petanque Tournament and celebrate France ’s Independence Day in style.

On Sunday July 13, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. through 8:00 p.m., Bar Tabac and Robin des Bois take over Brooklyn’s popular Smith and Dean Street intersection and surrounding blocks to celebrate France ’s Bastille Day with the countries largest Pétanque tournament. Over 7,000 people and 80 Pétanque teams are expected to participate in the French fête, with all dues donated to the local Brooklyn Community Board. Throughout the day, guests will enjoy French cocktails, including the Classique and Elixir from Ricard, the world’s number one selling pastis, an anise-flavored beverage. Special guests are invited to relax at the Ricard hospitality tent at Bar Tabac where delicious food provided by Cercle Rouge chef and refreshing Ricard cocktails including the Cocorico, French Kiss and French Mojito will be served. Live jazz / swing music by The Baby Blue Orchids will keep the day festive, and Bar Tabac will prepare mouthwatering dishes inspired by South of France, including beef and merguez sandwiches.

Bastille Day (July 14th) celebrates French independence, and the day French citizens stormed the Bastille (a prison) in 1789, starting the French Revolution and bringing an end to the French monarchy. In honor of this holiday, Francophiles in New York play Pétanque (pronounced “pay-tonk”), a game similar to lawn bowling that originated in Provence in the early 1900s and is one of Europe ’s most popular outdoor activities. This year makes the 101st anniversary of the game. Players take turns rolling small steel balls (called boules) as close as possible to a small wooden aim ball (called a but or cochonnet). Brooklyn ’s Smith Street will provide the sanded arena for the competition.