Bastille Days organizers prepare for RNC overlap [Video]

As the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee starts in less than two weeks, a beloved downtown festival will be wrapping up. Bastille Days starts Thursday, July 11, in Cathedral Square. Preparations for the popular French event are well underway right now, with its iconic Eiffel Tower replica already in place. “There’s always some unique challenges and opportunities, the RNC being one of them,” Bastille Days organizer and East Town Association Executive Director Eddie Sturkey told 12 News. Located less than a mile east of Fiserv Forum, Bastille Days runs through Sunday, July 14. That’s the same day the RNC will hold its welcome party at Henry Maier Festival Park. The convention will then take place July 15-18.The security perimeter and most parking restrictions are west of the Milwaukee River and shouldn’t impact festival guests. Sturkey said they’ve been meeting with RNC officials for about a year, and their biggest unknown …