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On Saturday, July 13th, 2013 from 5p to 11p, Six Feet Up celebrated the spirit of Bastille Day all over Fortville, IN. Bastille Day is France's annual tribute to the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, that helped spark the French Revolution.

The event was started by Six Feet Up co-founder and CEO Gabrielle Hendryx-Parker who grew up in France and wanted her children to experience the joy of the annual Bastille Day celebration.

Now in its fourth year, Indiana Bastille Day is organized by Six Feet Up with the support of 30 volunteers, 45 vendors and 30 sponsors, such as TownePost, Alliance Francaise d'Indianapolis, The International Center, The Indianapolis Foundation and The Christel DeHaan Family Foundation, as well as awesome partners like Ten West Center for the Arts, Fishers Renaissance Faire and Anderson Symphony Orchestra. This year, the festival attracted an estimated 4,000 locals, expatriates, and francophiles.

Held in the charming country setting of Landmark Park in Fortville, IN, the event started off with 15-year-old singer Samantha Russell, who performed several popular pop songs while playing the guitar. Later, Cincinnati-based Frenchman Sylvain Acher performed a variety of swing, jazz, gypsy and world beat original songs and music with his band Frenchaxe. The Anderson Symphony Orchestra Brass band then gave the festival an entirely new musical dimension through a variety of classical pieces.

The traditional pétanque tournament was another huge success and great fun. It took place next to outdoor painting classes provided by The Paint Cellar in a very Montmartre-like setting. Another highlight of the day was Peewinkle's Puppet Studio's marionette shows, as well as the costumed characters from the Fishers Renaissance Faire who performed several historic interpretation shows, organized outdoor games and sang period songs while walking around.

The community police and fire departments played their part and offered children a chance to put out the fire with a real fire hose as well as presented their crime-fighting capabilities. The public was then invited to participate in a huge tug of war against the Fortville fire department, which delighted both the young and the old.

The Ten West Community Choir finale on stage resonated the day's spirit with a "blue, white, and red" ensemble while performing a rendition of the song "One Day More" from the critically acclaimed musical and film Les Miserables.

At dusk, the highly anticipated candlelight parade brought hundreds of beautiful lanterns through the park and provided a great transition to the Indiana Bastille Day signature laser light show finale.

If you would like to learn more about Indiana Bastille Day or be a sponsor next year visit www.indianabastilleday.com or contact Gabrielle Hendryx-Parker at gabrielle@sixfeetup.com.