Thousands kick off Bastille Days festival with annual "Storm the Bastille" run/walk

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Runners and walkers kicked off Bastille Days with the "Storm the Bastille" 5K run/walk on Thursday night, July 10th.

Thousands took part in the annual run/walk in memory of the 18th century attack on the Bastille prison in Paris.

The 5-K run and 2-mile walk took place on opening night of the festival, Thursday, July 10th at 9:00 p.m.

This year's 5K run/walk began on Jefferson & Wells.

The course led participants through the scenic streets of downtown Milwaukee & the Historic Third Ward.

The run/walk kicked off the 33rd annual Bastille Days festival. The event takes up eight city blocks in Milwaukee, and even more streets were shut down for the race.

The run/walk was very relaxed and fun, and for a lot of people, it was more about the experience than their run time.

"This is probably my sixth or seventh time doing this race and we love it because it`s at night and it`s fun. There`s a lot of people down here and we get a whole group of friends together to run it`s it`s tradition," Kristin Burkemper said.

About 5,000 people participate in the run/walk each year.