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  • February 19, 2023
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San sebastian celebration: Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián

Top 13 Festivals in San Sebastian You Won’t Want to Miss – Devour Tours

Anyone who knows anything about Spain knows that we’re always ready to party.

And while Basque culture is quite different in many ways, the same rings true. As a result, there are so many great festivals taking place in San Sebastian throughout the year. If you’re looking to get immersed in Basque culture and celebrate like a local, look no further. Save the date for these events and you’ll be well on your way.

Photo Credit: Ordiziako Jakintza Ikastola, Text Overlay: Devour San Sebastian Food Tours

1. Three Kings Day (January 5 & 6)

First up on our list of festivals in San Sebastian also happens to be the most eagerly anticipated days on the calendar for children throughout Spain. You see, Three Kings Day is an even bigger deal than Christmas here in Spain. Children wake up on the morning of January 6 eager to open their presents that the Three Wise Men of biblical lore have left for them overnight.

But the fun actually starts the day before on January 5, when the kings arrive in San Sebastian and parade throughout the city greeting the eager spectators that have lined the streets to see them. There’s extravagant floats, colorful costumes, and a seemingly neverending shower of candy raining down (seriously, watch out so you don’t get pelted!). It’s a celebration beloved by people of all ages who come together and share in the season of giving.

The kings may be the stars of the show, but there’s so much more to see at the parade. Check out these colorful floats! Photo credit: pegatina1

2. St. Sebastian’s Day/Tamborrada (January 20)

Spain is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, and as a result, we take our patron saints pretty seriously. Here in San Sebastian, January 20 is the feast day of the man himself—St. Sebastian—and to honor him, we stage a massive 24-hour-long drum parade known as the tamborrada.

At midnight on January 19, the event officially kicks off with the raising of the flag in Plaza de la Constitución. From there, it’s 24 hours of nonstop drumming, dancing, and good vibes filling the streets throughout the city. Around 125 drum lines participate in the event every year, each bringing their own unique style and touch to the festivities. As one of the most authentic festivals in San Sebastian, it’s loud, vibrant, and downright fun—just the way we like our parties to be.

The streets of San Sebastian fill with the sounds of drums on January 20. Photo credit: Donostia/San Sebastian 2016

3. Caldereros (first Saturday in February)

Carnival is one of the most popular festivals celebrated throughout Spain. Here in San Sebastian, we like to get things started weeks in advance by celebrating the arrival of the caldereros—a celebration that officially kicks off the Carnival season.

The caldereros were traveling artisans arrived in the city hundreds of years ago from Hungary or Turkey (sources vary) prior to the arrival of Carnival. Today, locals honor the whimsical group by reenacting their arrival every year on the first Saturday in February. They make their way through the streets dressed in traditional costumes, singing and accompanying themselves on makeshift musical instruments made out of pots and pans.

Caldereros of all ages take to the streets in colorful costumes to announce the arrival of Carnival! Photo credit: Kezka Dantza Taldea Eibar

4. Inudeak eta Artzaiak (first Sunday in February)

The fun doesn’t stop with the caldereros, though. The very next day, it’s time to celebrate another one of the most unique festivals in San Sebastian: the shepherds and nursemaids festival, or Inudeak eta Artzaiak in Basque.

This fun and flirtatious festival serves as a perfect precursor to Valentine’s Day later in the month. It’s a celebration and reenactment of the shepherds coming down from the mountains into the city many years ago and then proceeding to court the nursemaids. Dozens of shepherd-nursemaid couples make up the parade, which also includes plenty of other characters in traditional dress and more than 60 Basque drummers.

The first weekend in February is full of nonstop fun. Don’t miss the shepherds and nursemaids parade on Sunday! Photo credit: dantzan

5. Carnival (February or March)

After the arrival of the caldereros to San Sebastian in February, the celebrations finally culminate with the main event itself later in the month or in early March. With crazy costumes and nonstop partying, Carnival is easily one of the top festivals in San Sebastian. For celebrations with an even more unique twist, take a day trip to one of the surrounding villages: Ituren, Zubieta, Lantz and Tolosa each have locally famous celebrations with their own special twists.

The costumes at Carnival are truly incredible. Don’t forget yours! Photo credit: Mario Antonio Pena Zapatería

6. Olatu Talka (late May, early June)

All of the festivals in San Sebastian we’ve discussed so far have bordered on the traditional and the timeless in order to celebrate Basque heritage. Olatu Talka, which takes place in the late spring, brings this proud spirit of culture and identity into the 21st century by celebrating San Sebastian and its people in the modern age.

Created in 2010 during San Sebastian’s campaign for the European Capital of Culture title, this is a festival created by the people, for the people. It turns the entire city into a creative and cultural space, with concerts, workshops, art installations and more. With such a broad and unique offering, it’s hard to sum up this fantastic festival in a small amount of space. We guess you’ll just have to experience it for yourself!

The spirit of community is present throughout Olatu Talka. Photo credit: Donostia/San Sebastian 2016

7. Heineken Jazzaldia (July)

Music lovers, this one’s for you. Every summer, the biggest names in jazz descend upon San Sebastian to take part in Jazzaldia, one of the world’s biggest and longest-running jazz festivals. For several days in July, venues ranging from casual seaside terraces to grand concert halls will fill with the smooth sounds of jazz’s biggest talents. If you’re a jazz lover, you won’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see several of the genre’s top stars performing all in one place.

8. Semana Grande (mid-August)

If you’re looking to experience the biggest, most important festival in San Sebastian, save the date for the week of August 15. This week is the one and only Semana Grande (“Great Week”), and as its name implies, it’s a nonstop celebration of Basque culture and heritage.

The celebrations for Semana Grande in San Sebastian kick off with the ceremonial firing of the cannon in Alderdi Eder park. From there, it’s a full week of concerts, traditional Basque athletic events, an international fireworks competition and more. If you’re traveling with little ones in tow, this is easily one of the best festivals in San Sebastian for kids—they’ll love the giants parade and pirate race!

The cannon has been fired, which means that Semana Grande has officially begun! Photo credit: Donostiako Festak

9. Euskal Jaiak (early September)

Couldn’t make it for Semana Grande? No worries. Euskal Jaiak (literally translating to “Basque Festivities”) takes place just a few weeks later, usually at the beginning of September.

While similar in scope to Semana Grande in that both celebrate Basque identity, Euskal Jaiak takes a bit more of a traditional route, with authentic clothing, music, dancing and more filling the city throughout the weeklong celebration. There’s also an exciting regatta in La Concha Bay, and (our personal favorite) San Sebastian’s annual Cider Day falls during this week as well!

The Basque spirit is infectious, especially during Euskal Jaiak! Photo credit: Xabier Otegi

10. San Sebastian International Film Festival

By far the best-known of all the festivals in San Sebastian outside of the Basque Country, San Sebastian’s annual film festival draws cinephiles from near and far. From up-and-coming talent to internationally known household names, participants in the festival offer a little bit of everything. It’s a fantastic opportunity to screen dozens of the year’s best films from all over the world.

Come film festival time, the entire city lights up with excitement! Photo credit: Ian Irving

11.

St. Thomas’s Day (December 21)

Love farmers’ markets? So do we. That’s why one of our favorite days of the year in San Sebastian is December 21, when the entire city transforms into one massive country market in honor of the feast of St. Thomas.

Farmers and craftsmen from San Sebastian and neighboring villages set up shop in the form of stalls throughout the city, where they sell fresh produce, homemade artisanal goods, and more. If you get hungry, be sure to stop and grab a bite of txistorra—this local sausage (similar to chorizo, but native to the Basque Country) is the traditional snack of choice at the festival.

The St. Thomas celebration brings the spirit of an old-fashioned farmers market to modern San Sebastian. Photo credit: Donostia/San Sebastian 2016

12. Olentzero & Mari Domingi (December 24)

Winter in San Sebastian is a time of gift giving and celebrations with family and friends, just like in the rest of the world. However, here in the Basque Country, we welcome two of our own characters into the mix: the peasant Olentzero and his wife, Mari Domingi, who bring gifts to children all over the region on Christmas Day.

While the Three Kings are a tradition recognized all over Spain, Olentzero and Mari Domingi are unique to the Basque Country. Every year on December 24, they come down into the city from Mount Urgull and make their way through the streets in a fun and fabulous parade. Along the way, they make a stop to greet the eager children who come to tell the two characters what they want for Christmas.

Children dressed in traditional Basque clothing carry an Olentzero figure through the streets. Photo credit: Ordiziako Jakintza Ikastola

13. Nochevieja (December 31)

Last but certainly not least on our countdown of festivals in San Sebastian is the one and only New Year’s Eve. But this isn’t your average end-of-year celebration. New Year’s Eve in San Sebastian includes a beachfront race, elegant galas, and of course the can’t-miss 12 midnight grapes. Head to Plaza Gipuzkoa for the traditional countdown as you ring in the new year surrounded by locals.

Just don’t forget the cava!

Celebrations in Italy – Festival of San Sebastiano in Sicily

There are many patron saint festivals in Italy, but few can top the festival of San Sebastiano – St. Sebastian – in Sicily.

San Sebastiano is most often depicted as a young martyr tied to a post, wearing only a loincloth, and bearing a strangely serene expression for someone who is stuck through with arrows.  Shooting him with arrows was actually the first attempt at killing him for his Christian beliefs, and after being nursed back to health, he went off to harangue the Roman emperor Diocletian for persecuting Christians, and was promptly clubbed to death.  So, a serene but belligerent martyr he was.

San Sebastiano is one of three patron saints in the Sicilian town of Palazzolo Acreide, about a 40 minute drive from where I  live in eastern Sicily.  I had heard much about this festival and finally the timing was right, so off I went with Emanuele & friends in tow.

The two most intriguing things about this festival are the “sciuta”, Sicilian for the “exit” or when the San Sebastiano statue on a gilded cart exits the church, carried on the shoulders of an army of men dressed in white and red.   I was told that there was much fanfare and it was “molto, molto bello.”   I’m used to the Sicilian’s fondness for exaggeration, and figured it would be similar to many festivals I had already seen.  Boy, was I wrong.

The second intriguing thing, that borders on the bizarre, is that little babies, who are often stripped naked – apparently this is to echo the nudity of San Sebastiano – are offered up to the saint’s statue as a kind of blessing to protect them.  The babies might wear a necklace bearing banknotes that are pinned to the outside of the cart, but donations of coins are also accepted.

Join in the celebrations as these pictures depict how the festival of San Sebastiano unfolds.

When first arriving in town, we are met with a line of bancarelle, stands selling an assortment of stuff, from straw hats to ward off the hot sun to cheap plastic toys made in China to entice the hoards of children into pestering their parents.  Sales are slow.

But we are looking for tradition and folklore, and soon we find it outside the church steps.   There is a cart selling cuddure, ring-shaped breads that celebrate the wheat harvest in August.  Bakeries donate these breads to the festival, and the money from purchases goes to finance the celebrations.

Soon a band starts playing and a parade starts, and the festive atmosphere heats up.

Finally a few loud firecrackers announce that the sciuta is happening soon, and everyone squeezes into the piazza in front of the church.  The sun is fierce and tensions are high – I argue with a tall guy who pushes in front of me, and he agrees to squat so that I can see over his head.  And then the sciuta begins.

The first moments of the sciuta are electrifying.  Some of the men who will help to carry the statue call out with arms raised exhorting San Sebastiano to come out of the church.  Just as the cart reaches the doorway a series of loud explosions are accompanied by violent sprays of ‘nzareddi, colored paper ribbons.

The continued explosions are deafening and the church is obscured in a swirl of colors and smoke, while people shout and raise their fists in the air.  I’m in the midst of a psychedelic bombardment, and as the crowd surges forward, I lose Emanuele in a whirl of colors. My heart is pounding,  my hands are shaking and it’s hard to keep the camera still.

 Finally the colors part, the smoke clears and we can see the cart of San Sebastiano!

I follow the cart as it is carried through the town, and babies are held up to receive the blessings of San Sebastiano, who becomes their protector.  Sometimes the babies are stripped naked, mimicking the nudity of the saint.  As they are lifted up to the heavens, the crowd rejoices, Viva San Sebastiano!  I’m swept up in the soaring energy.

Not all the babies are as thrilled as the spectators.   I almost feel like crying, too.

As the statue of San Sebastiano heads down a side street, the piazza is suddenly overrrun with children frolicking in the ribbons of paper, while a priest and other devotees walk solemnly through the riot of colors.  A few diligent workers are busily dumping buckets of water on little fires that have sprung up in the paper ribbons.

All in all it was one of the most emotional patron saint celebrations I’ve witnessed in Italy, an exuberant but exhausting experience.

I find Emanuele & friends, and babbling excitedly like children, we head off to lunch.

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The festival of San Sebastiano takes place on August 10 in Palazzolo Acreide in eastern Sicily, but other festivities go on for a week.   Check the website for a calendar of events.

Semana Grande is a summer holiday in the four northern provinces of Spain. Spain in Russian

Semana Grande, which means “Big Week” in Spanish, is an annual holiday celebrated in northern Spain. This is the best time to get acquainted with the northern regions of the country, because in a few holidays you can see fairs, and traditional bullfights, and dances to folk music, and processions of giant puppets, and national sports competitions, and fireworks with bonfires on the shore sea, and that’s not all. We offer you four northern cities, where you should definitely go to the celebration of the “Big Week”. nine0003

Bilbao

  • When: from the last Saturday before 22 August to the last Sunday after 22 August

The main holiday of Bilbao, in honor of which large-scale festivities and performances unfold on the streets of the city for nine days. It all started in 1978 when the heads of various city associations decided to organize a competition for the best ideas for a big celebration in Bilbao. At that time, only a few holidays were celebrated in the city and they were not popular with the people. nine0003

And for 30 years, Semana Grande has been one of the most popular and visited events in the Basque Country. It begins on one of the August Saturdays, when everyone gathers around the building of the famous Arriaga Theater on the banks of the Nervión River.

During the week on the central streets of Bilbao you can find a wide variety of entertainment related to the Basque culture. Traditional Basque music and dances, competitions in national sports such as cutting trees and lifting huge stones, exhibitions, fairs. Taverns and eateries offer a variety of drinks and treats, among which you can always find local cider and pintxos. Parades of giants and big-headed puppets are held for children. One of the characters that appears in the parade every year has a huge mouth and the ability to swallow children who decide to jump into it. Of course, then you can easily get out of the monster by going down the hill. nine0003

Bullfights are also held in the town square during this festival. Bulls are usually young, smaller in size and have special protection on the horns so that they can not cause serious harm to a person.

In the evenings, the celebration continues with fireworks and outdoor concerts. Throughout the holiday, one can see the symbol of Semana Grande on the streets – the Marihaya doll, with plump cheeks and with her arms raised up, as if she is dancing all the time. On the last festive evening, the doll is burned at the stake. nine0003

San Sebastian

  • When: from the last Saturday before 15 August to the last Sunday after 15 August

The tradition of holding Semana Grande every year in this coastal resort town dates back to the mid-19th century. The purpose of the holiday was to entertain the elite who came to San Sebastian for their summer holidays. It all started with the organization of bullfights, which were accompanied by concerts and fireworks at night, inviting guests to stay overnight in the city. The holiday that we know now has all these components in it, but the list of entertainments becomes wider over time. nine0003

The loudest and most anticipated event of Semana Grande in San Sebastian is the International Fireworks Competition. Every year, companies from all over the world take part in it, lighting up the bay of La Concha in turn with their pyrotechnic performances. Traditionally, when watching fireworks, you should definitely eat ice cream.

Sports activities include a swim from nearby Getaria to San Sebastian, horse racing, a beach volleyball tournament and a demonstration of the Basque national sport. nine0003

Workshops, games and festive parades of giant and big-headed dolls are organized for children. There are usually 8 giants, 13 large-headed ones. The giants are pairs from four Basque provinces: Gipuzkoa, Biscay, Alava and Navarre. And big-headed dolls are the characters of the brightest holidays in San Sebastian.

Another popular entertainment is the arrival of pirates on the coast of San Sebastian. People dressed as pirates meet in the city port in the morning to build small makeshift boats together. After the “pirate lunch”, the boats are launched and set sail to the beach of La Concha. Their chaotic movement across the water adds to the spectacle of the action. nine0003

Gijón

  • When: August

In the city of Gijón, Asturias, Semana Grande is dedicated to the city’s patroness, the Madonna of Begogna. In addition to open-air concerts of famous musicians, much attention is paid to folk music here. For example, the program of the holiday includes competitions for playing the Asturian bagpipe – an instrument consisting of three pipes, one of which is designed to blow air, and the other two make sound. nine0003

On one of the nights of the week, the most anticipated pyrotechnic show of the year in Gijon is held – fireworks are launched from the hill of St. Catalina. And the holiday ends with the traditional “restallion” – a 15-minute fireworks display.

In Gijón, Asturian folk dances are also very popular, such as Dansa Prima, Heringonsa and the Dance of Santa Ana. During the Semana Grande, those who do not know how to dance them have the opportunity to learn, because these dances are often performed on squares and stages, in front of a large audience. nine0003

Castro-Urdiales

  • When: June

Semana Grande in this small Cantabrian town on the sea coast usually coincides with another Spanish holiday – San Juan, at night when it is customary to light bonfires everywhere, both in city squares and on your own plots near the house. The main city festivities take place on a street that has been preserved since the Middle Ages and bears the same name – San Juan Street. nine0003

The local holiday begins with “Sardinade” – grilling sardines in the open air. As a rule, fresh fish is cooked on the grill and is immediately eaten by satisfied guests of the holiday. The sardinade is held at night, between sunset and sunrise.

Here you can also get acquainted with “vervain” – the tradition of night dances, usually in summer. The term comes from the plant of the same name. Many centuries ago, Celtic priests prepared a love potion from vervain, which also protected from evil spirits and could help reconcile enemies. nine0003

Semana Grande in Castro Urdiales is not as large and well-known as in Bilbao, San Sebastian or Gijon, but the coincidence with the fires of San Juan gives it its share of popularity.

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