Bastille Days organizers confident festival will be safe, successful

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- After a two-year hiatus, folks are excited to gather once again at Cathedral Square for a city favorite, Bastille Days.

"It's wonderful, it feels like a celebration," said Raisa Gokhman, who is attending the event with her two young children. "Be in the sun, enjoy the weather, music, treats, ice cream."

Festival organizers say a 'good festival' would be about 200,000 visitors over the course of the weekend. For some, that much foot traffic may lead to an increased fear over security threats. Anne Leplae, Executive Director of Alliance Française de Milwaukee, says she's confident the event will go off without a hitch.

"We've been doing this for 40 years without a single incident," Leplae said. "It feels like everybody is on heightened alert and things area running really smoothly."

Along with a private security group that has been hired for the event, Leplae referred to a partnership between Bastille Days and Milwaukee Police Department.

In a statement to CBS 58 News, MPD said this:

“The Milwaukee Police Department continues to be supportive of community events throughout the city in order to make them safe and successful for all of our residents and visitors. Bastille Days organizers have entered into an extra duty agreement with MPD to assist in providing additional security for their event.”

Joyce Hawthorne has been attending Bastille Days for years. She says she's confident the festival has the necessary security measures in place and is excited to be back celebrating with her community.

"We just opening back up! After two years, people need this to come together," Hawthorne said. "You got to step out on faith. You can't be scared and be a prisoner in your own house."

Bastille Days runs through Sunday.