Blog
23/07/2026
If you visit Euskadi in summer, you are sure to coincide with a popular festival in one of our towns and cities. For a few days, squares and streets are filled with music, traditional Basque dances, giants and big-heads, rural sports, gastronomy and fireworks.
Stay at one of our agrotourisms, rural houses or rural apartments associated with Nekatur and experience our festivals just like a local.
From the coastal towns to the inland towns, Euskadi is filled in summer with colour, popular characters, traditional smells and flavours, native sports and much more.
In the municipalities by the sea, traditions linked to fishing and the maritime world take centre stage, while inland, customs connected to the caserío and rural life remain alive. We tell you what you cannot miss. Come to Euskadi this summer and enjoy our most popular traditions!
It is common to see parades of giants and big-heads, accompanied by a fanfare playing music, in our streets during the festivals. The giants represent historical figures, traditional professions, or popular characters. The big-heads, meanwhile, are humorous characters who lead the way for the giants and chase the little ones.
There are many examples of giants. To mention just a few from the 3 capitals:
The herri kirolak are traditional Basque sports and originated in the day-to-day work of the caseríos, forests and quarries of Euskadi.
The rivalry between them gave rise to bets and challenges, and nowadays it is a professional sport, as well as featuring demonstrations during the popular festivals of many municipalities in Euskadi. Among the most representative are wood chopping (the person who does it is called an aizkolari), stone lifting (harrijasotzaile), scything (segalari), or tug of war (sokalari).
And although it is not strictly a herri kirola, sheepdog trials are also very common at festivals in the rural areas of Euskadi. Do not miss it if you have the opportunity to see one, it is quite a spectacle!
Traineras regattas also originated from rivalry between workers, in this case, those who worked at sea. These boats originated as inshore fishing boats powered by oars. The arrantzales (fishermen) competed to see who could reach the fish market first and thus obtain the best price at auction.
This competition gradually developed into a sport and has now become an essential event of summer in Euskadi. This is the 2026 regatta calendar in Euskadi, and this year it runs from 28 June to 20 September.
You will see the supporters of each trainera in their distinctive colours cheering their boats on as loudly as they can. Oh! And there are men's and women's competitions, boga! (Row!)
It is common for the frontons of Euskadi to fill with pelota matches during festive periods. The most common version is hand pelota (eskupilota), but you can also find pala, cesta-punta or remonte matches.
Depending on whether it is part of the professional calendar or is a popular exhibition or tournament, you can enjoy this Basque sport in an indoor fronton (usually paying) or at the village fronton. Either way, you will be left open-mouthed watching a match.
In bertsolaritza, the bertsolari is the person who improvises verses in Basque about a particular subject and “sings” them to a tune, following a metre and rhyme. They are sung a cappella, on a stage and in front of an audience. At official championships, as many as 15,000 people come together to listen to them!
Being a bertsolari brings social prestige, because it is not simply about putting verses together, but about moving people with words. The bertsolaris provoke one another to see who can come up with the best rhyme, with a touch of humour or social criticism.
Although, if you do not know Basque, you will not understand what they are saying, if during your summer in Euskadi you happen to come across an exhibition, stay for a while and listen to the bertsos, just the atmosphere is moving!
Euskal dantzak are another of the most deeply rooted traditions at the festivals in the towns of Euskadi. Their origins are linked to pagan rituals, fertility, nature... and they have evolved from generation to generation.
Nowadays, it is difficult to understand a cultural, civic or religious event without a display of euskal dantza: the traditional aurresku, which is danced as a tribute and recognition to someone; ezpata-dantza (“sword dance”); dantzari-dantza (“dance of the dancer”); soka-dantza (“rope dance”); or arku-dantza (“arch dance”), are some examples of the dances you may encounter in our towns.
Follow the music of the txistu and tamboril when you hear it and enjoy watching how popular dances continue to fill the squares and streets of Euskadi with joy.
Partly linked to euskal dantzak are the traditional costumes of Euskadi. We do not only wear our traditional costumes to take part in dances, but also at our popular festivals and special days throughout the year.
In the coastal municipalities, the undisputed colour is navy blue, that of the arrantzal (fisherman). Men wear a shirt and long trousers, and women wear a shirt and skirt. With the skirts, a white underskirt with lace is usually visible underneath, with a red ribbon and a green one woven into it. On their feet, both men and women wear espadrilles.
In the inland municipalities, the traditional costume is that of the baserritarra (farmer). Men wear a txapela, white shirt, and matching waistcoat and long trousers; women wear a headscarf and one over their shoulders, a white shirt, waistcoat and long skirt. The colours vary and may be plain, combined striped colours, or with a small, usually floral, pattern. On their feet, here too, espadrilles or albarcas.
You are sure to find a local shop where you can get yourself a traditional costume or one of its most distinctive elements. Do not miss the opportunity!
When you arrive at your rural accommodation in Euskadi, ask your hostess where one of our popular festivals is being held nearby. The information provided by the hostesses of the agrotourisms, rural houses and rural apartments in Euskadi is always highly valued by our customers.
In any case, if you want to arrive with part of your calendar already organised, you can check the dates of the main events, fairs and festivals at:
The festivals in Basque municipalities are almost endless in summer. As soon as one ends, another begins and, in many cases, they overlap. That is why we are going to tell you about the particularities of the popular festivals in the 3 Basque capitals, which celebrate their festival weeks in August.
And, although they are cities, you will be able to enjoy traditional festive events, such as parades of giants and big-heads, herri kirolak demonstrations, euskal dantzak, bertsolari championships...
Every August, Vitoria-Gasteiz transforms itself to celebrate its most beloved festivities: the Fiestas de La Virgen Blanca, which have been celebrated since 1884.
Although this year, 2026, the main events of the La Blanca festivities take place from 4 to 9 August, events and festive activities have already been taking place in the capital of Euskadi since 19 July.
On 4 August, the festivities officially begin with the traditional descent of Celedón, a moment experienced with great emotion in the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca.
Celedón represents the villagers of the rural area of Álava. During the descent, a figure slides like a zip wire with an open umbrella from the tower of the Church of San Miguel, crosses the square and reaches a balcony. There, by magic, he comes to life, and the joy overflows. Did you know that he even has a song? “Celedón ha hecho una casa nueeevaaaaa…”
From then on, the city is filled for 5 days with concerts, shows, giant and big-head parades, children's activities, fireworks and a lively atmosphere in every corner.
But we cannot talk about these festivities without mentioning the cuadrillas de blusas y neskak, who, wearing traditional men's and women's farmer costumes, liven up the city's streets and organise many of the festive activities.
Come and discover and take part in the events of the Vitoria-Gasteiz festivities! These are the rural accommodations in Araba where you can stay if you want to experience the La Virgen Blanca festivities.
The Semana Grande of Donostia-San Sebastián also known as Aste Nagusia, takes place in 2026 from 8 to 15 August.
In Donostia, the festive week begins with a cannon shot from the Alderdi Eder gardens at 7:00 pm. It is fired by the Artillero Mayor, the person who represents the Basque Gastronomy Brotherhood. After this, a group or collective begins to sing the song “Artilleroooooo dale fueeegooooo”, also sung by all the people gathered around Alderdi Eder.
In addition to other events, one of the main attractions of the Semana Grande of Donostia-San Sebastián is the International Fireworks Competition, which every night at 10:45 pm lights up La Concha Bay, a spectacle that attracts a large number of visitors. You cannot imagine how beautiful it is!
Do not miss the Donostia Semana Grande! These are the rural accommodations in Gipuzkoa where you can stay if you want to experience the Donostia festivities.
In the case of Bilbao, its Semana Grande or Aste Nagusia always begins on the Saturday following 15 August. This year 2026, Bilbao's Aste Nagusia takes place from 22 to 30 August.
In Bilbao, it is the pregonero or pregonera and the txupinera who, together with Marijaia (the main character of this Aste Nagusia), launch 9 days of festivities. What do you think happens after the proclamation and the launching of the txupin (rocket) from the balcony of the Arriaga Theatre? You guessed it! In Bilbao, they sing too! In this case, the song is Marijaia's, a giant doll-like figure dressed in bright colours that represents the festive spirit of these days. “Mariiiii, Mariiiii, Marijaia datorrrrr!” Here comes Mariajaia!
In Bilbao, in addition to the official festival programme prepared by the Bilbao City Council, the great protagonists of these festivities are the konpartsak (parade groups).
The parade groups are groups of people who, since the Aste Nagusia began in 1978, have enlivened and brought energy to the festivities by organising activities for all audiences. Each one has its own clothing and a space reserved in the festival grounds, around which they organise different activities. Did you know that one of these activities is the “ugly competition”? Oh dear!
Come and discover the Bilbao Aste Nagusia! These are the rural accommodations in Bizkaia where you can stay if you want to experience the Bilbao Semana Grande.
Idoia Ezkurdia is the manager of Nekatur, the association of rural accommodation establishments in Euskadi, an organisation that brings together agrotourisms, rural houses and rural apartments in this autonomous community. With extensive experience in the tourism sector, Idoia Ezkurdia has summarised in this article the main traditions of Euskadi's popular summer festivals. At Nekatur, she works to promote and increase the visibility of rural accommodation, promoting a model of sustainable tourism linked to the local environment.”
The Kurturklik website is the official Basque Government portal where the entire cultural and festival calendar of Euskadi is published. Do not forget to ask at the rural accommodation where you have booked your holiday either; our hostesses will give you very valuable information!
The festivals in Euskadi are designed so that everyone can enjoy them. The main festive events are free. For example, you can enjoy parades of giants and big-heads, herri kirolak demonstrations, dances, traineras regattas, street theatre, concerts and fireworks without paying anything. There are other cultural events that do have an admission fee.
Yes! And not only nearby, but also in the rural surroundings of the municipalities that celebrate their festivals in summer. Go to the Nekatur rural accommodation search engine, and book one of our associated rural accommodations. You have more than 220 agrotourisms, rural houses and rural apartments to choose from!
Don't worry, the Nekatur reservations team is here to help you. You can contact us by telephone (943 32 70 90), by email (agroturismo@nekatur.net) or through the Nekatur contact form.
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