YELLOWKNIFE - Bastille Day is coming up and the community is getting ready to party in celebration of France's national holiday.

Le Frolic owner Pierre LePage gets into character for the annual Bastille Day celebrations held at his restaurant. - NNSL file photo

As is tradition at Le Frolic, three days of music, food, drink and games are being prepared for everyone to enjoy. And these are three full days, as owner Pierre LePage will be opening up the balcony from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m.

During the days, there will be a variety of activities from cooking contests to petanque to live music, which will continue on until the wee hours.

Taking care of the music is Rick Poltaruk. Bastille Days' musical entertainment will kick off Thursday night with a performance by Big River Ramblers between 6-7 p.m. This hour will be closed to the public, but at 7 p.m., everyone's invited to the back deck to hear Rick and the Relics.

"After 11 the party moves inside," said LePage.

Each day, there will be outdoor entertainment in the evening until the music moves inside at 11 p.m. out of respect for the neighbours. Poltaruk says the outdoor deck is a hit with patrons, who would like to see it open all year long.

"People just get dancing and having a good time outdoors. Last year we couldn't get people to go indoors," he said.

Though Poltaruk is excited about the musical lineup this year, which will also include some musicians from the French community, he is also looking forward to daytime activities, namely the cooking contest, which he has judged for the past two years.

"They're given mystery items and they've got one hour to put together a meal," he said. "They come out with some amazing stuff."

The game of petanque, which will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, is always a hit, and the 17th century costumes people wear keep it colourful. Though no kids are allowed at the event, LePage said it's "a fun weekend for adults."

"All three days are different and all three days are fun," said Poltaruk.