You’ll be fascinated to SEE

  • Fairs AGRICULTURAL and LIVESTOCK

    Agricultural and livestock fairs are an evento linked with the everyday lives of many Basque towns. The samples on display are the best fruits and vegetables from the garden and the most notable livestock, and the fairs are also a meeting place for industry professionals. The audience is only happy to join in, creating a festive atmosphere where tradition leaves its mark.

    More information

  • Traditions in the 21st

    Dance is a defining trait in any society, including ours. This land has a wealth of dances that are usually performed at festivals and religious ceremonies.

    The aurresku is one of these dances. It is an honour dance now performed at weddings and conferences. The ezpatadantza, or sword dance, is another notable one. It is danced to commemorate or pay homage. Dances that Will never be left out of any worthy traditional pilgrimage include the jota and the arin-arin.

    More information

  • DURANGOKO AZOKA

    Basque fair culture

    The Durango Basque Book and Record Fair is a contest held every year in this town in Bizkaia in the first week of December, during the Spanish Constitution bank holiday. It is considered the most important showcase of Basque culture as it is the perfect place to see the works of Basque publishing houses and record labels. The competition has historically been much more than a book and record fair as it has always been a meeting point for Basque people and anyone interested in Basque culture.

    Over the course of the fair, thousands of people come out and enjoy a great festive atmosphere. It is surely the best way to see live performances, learn traditional dances and fill the streets of this town.

  • PRIDE the of our own

    Holy Week processions coexist with Bilbao’s cultural, sports and culinary life.

    They are held with BIlbao Basque Fest, a festival combining tradition and modernity around five pillars: culture, music, market, sport and gourmet food brought together with a “lauburu”, the most characteristic symbol of Basque culture. Art, dance and street theatre, children’s activities, handicraft fairs, concerts, Basque design shows and exhibitions of traditional sports are just some of the activities you can enjoy.

  • ONE THOUSAND to one Hundred

    The balls on the court are made of rubber, the material that changed the game. When the balls became ‘livelier’, they bounced better, and thus the indirect game against the wall that we see today was born. Basque pelota is a sport with its own identity that is quite different from other kinds of handball played around the world. Competitive pelota is played in three types of facilities: open court, mur a gauche and trinquet.

    The fronton in Markina-Xemein is known as Pelota University, as a number of players who learned on it became major jai alai figures, many of whom emigrated to the United States exporting the game to the Jai Alai courts built there.

    The court in Gernika leads the world with two major tournaments played on it every year. These tournaments showcase the best jai alai players in the world: the Jai Alai World Tour in the summer and the Jai Alai Winter Tour in the winter

  • WORK is a sport

    The work done in Basque rural settings led to a variety of sports, herri kirolak. So, those adept at cutting logs became aizkolaris. Those who cut grass in Meadows with scythes became segalaris.

    Those who moved large rocks for construction became harrijasotzaile or rock lifters. Rock dragging arose from the same job. Sokatira or tug-of-war is so widespread that it has its own federation and international competitions.