What to do in the Basque Country - Arts Agenda September 2019

THINGS TO DO IN BILBAO, SAN SEBASTIAN, VITORIA-GASTEIZ, BIARRITZ, RIOJA OR PAMPLONA.

Our selection of best art, sport & cultural events in the Basque Country during September 2019.

In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Medieval Market. A city of the Middle Ages.
From September 27th to 29th

Best Basques traditions & festivities:

• In Bayonne. Bullfights of Bayonne. First bullfighting place in France. August 14th, 30th and 31st. And September 1st.
• In Bayonne. Atlantic Feria. Novillada without picadors and corrida. Bullfighting atmosphere, eating places, flamenco and Sevillian dancer’s concerts. Bullring. From August 30th until September 1^st.
• In San Sebastian. Euskal Jaiak - Basque festivities. Old part of the city. The Day of the Cider will start the festival of Basque culture. Musical and sports activities and the best Basque gastronomy are its main claim. From August 31st to September 8th.
• In Elorrio. Agricultural fair and livestock. Handicrafts. Concursom of vegetables, cheeses and txakolí. On September 1st.
• In Legazpi. Artzain Eguna. Shepherd Day. Sheep Cheese Contest of Gipuzkoa. Shepherd Dog Contest. September 1st and 2nd.
• In Ordizia. "Euskal Jaiak" (Basque parties). Concerts, Basque rural sport, cooking workshops and gastronomic competitions. Contest of cheeses, cattle, fruits and vegetables, Basque hen and exhibition of perretxikos. Latxa sheep cheese contest. From September 1^st until 9th.
• In Zarautz. Basque parties. Popular food, music in the streets, trikitixa contest, dance performances or recitals of improvisers. From September 1st until 9th. In Mungia. Fair of cattle, wool, horses and goats. September 1st and 15th. Residents and visitors who come to Zarautz take to the streets dressed in traditional Basque costumes on September 9th.
• In Lekeitio. "Antzar Eguna" or Goose day, a 300 years old tradition to be seen in the local festivities of St Antoline (from September 1st until 8th.). September 5th.
• In Gernika-Lumo. Day of the rabbit and the cider of Bizkaia. Horticultural fair. September 7th.
• In Hondarribia. Guadalupe Virgin Day. With a traditional parade "Alarde" upto the sanctuary of Guadalupe. September, 8th.
• In Portugalete. Agricultural Fair. Exhibition and sale of agricultural products. Competition and distribution of prizes for the best Basque cake, cheese and stall decoration. Walk of the Canilla. September 8th.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Ecological market. Transparent agricultural market. The producers of the province offer their products to the locals. September 14th.
• In Artziniega. Medieval market. Posts of ciders, bakers, carpenters, potters, morcilleros and artisans, dressed in the clothes of those times. On September 14th.
• In Ibarra. Agricultural, artisan and livestock fair. XX Agricultural, livestock and piparra fair. XV Gastronomic Championship of the Basque Country of Piparra. X Meeting of the Piparra of the Basque Country. XXII Tolosaldea honey contest. From September 15th.
• In Baños de Ebro / Mañueta. Harvest Festival of Rioja Alavesa. September 15^th.
• In Muskiz. Agricultural and livestock fair. XXXVII Exhibition and sale of farm products. Exhibition of local cattle. Sample of agricultural machinery. Grand Prix of Txakoli. Regional competition of equine cattle and horse riding. September 15th.
• In Logroño. The Feast of San Mateo is flooded with zurracapote and the start of the vintage came. The festivities of the city include bull fighting, popular lamb chops made with vine wood, and wine stomping of the first grapes of each Rioja wine production village. From September 15th to 22nd.
• In Bermeo. Holy Eufemia Day. Tasting of talo, sale of farm products. VII Poultry Exhibition. IV Bizkaia Poultry Championship. Exhibition of Bermeo cattle, yokes and agricultural machinery. September 16th.
• In Zumaia. Octopus day. Activities of: tasting, exhibition and gastronomic competition. Eusebio Gurrutxaga Square. September 21st.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Pintxo Eguna. Day of the pintxo. City center. From September 21st until 23rd.
• In Amurrio. "Artzain Eguna" or Shepherd day. Contests sheep, cheese, sheepdogs,.. September 22nd.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Basque dance show from the 7 provinces. Place Louis XIV. From September 22^nd.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Medieval Market. More than 200 craft, gastronomy and hospitality stalls will set the streets to become a city of the Middle Ages. From September 27th to 29th.
• In Bilbao. Agricultural fair. Exhibition of traditional Basque sports. Ferial of Zorrotza. Festivities of Zorrotza. September 28th.
• In San Sebastian. Mycological fair. XXI Gastronomic Mycological Conference. Perretxiko Jaia (Feast of Perretxiko). September 29th.
• In Astigarraga. Sagar Uzta. Cider party. Apple party. Preparation of the first must of the 2019 harvest. Cider dance, kirikoketa, txalaparta and tasting of the must prepared. Apple exhibition, cider and must tasting, demonstrations, sale of local products. From September 29th.

In San Sebastian. International Film Festival "Zinemaldia".
The Donostia Prize, this year, goes to actress Penelope Cruz.
From September 20th to 28th

Regarding arts and exhibits in Basque Country:

• In Getaria. Cristobal Balenciaga: Fashion and Heritage. Contexts Fashion and Heritage maintain a paradoxical dialogue that contrasts the ephemeral and the permanent. A conversation that, nevertheless, converges in the designer. Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. From March 1st, 2019 to January 20th, 2020.
• In Bilbao. Never real and always true. Exhibition on the symbiosis between art and literature. A motto that connects the thirteen participating artists, who move between both worlds and whose works deal naturally with art as a literary genre and literature as an exhibition project. Azkuna Center. From March 14th until September 22nd.
• In Bilbao. “Jenny Holzer: The Indescriptible”. Its medium, whether it is translated into T-shirts, plaques or electronic signals, is the text. Bilbao Guggenheim Museum. From March 22nd, 2019 until September 28th.
• In Bilbao. Juan De Alcega, Universal Tailor. Illustrious personage of Gipuzkoa of Century XVI, author of the first treaty of tailoring published in all Europe, in the year 1580. Maritime Museum. From April 3rd until September 29th.
• In Bilbao. Gerhard Richter: Marinas. With these paintings and drawings, Richter confronts us with the problem of representation, since the painted surface and the photographic record merge. Bilbao Guggenheim Museum. From May 24th until September 9th.
• In Bilbao. Zuloaga (1870-1945). Exhibition about the painter Ignacio Zuloaga, considered in his time the most important Spanish artist and with the greatest international projection. Museum of Fine Arts. From May 29th until October 10th.
• In Bayonne. Exhibition: The Century of Balenciaga. DIDAM. From June 7th to September 8th.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Open by Concert. Cultural programming throughout the summer. Cathedral of Santa Maria, Portico de la Luz. From June 7th to September 14th.
• In San Sebastian. Summer courses at the University of the Basque Country. Miramar Palace. Quality and varied program of courses, seminars, workshops and conferences. From June 15th until September 15th.
• In Hernani. Cultural program of the Chillida-Leku museum for the summer. Different activities of dance, music or yoga and there will be workshops for children and night visits. From June 21st until September 30th.
• In Bilbao. J. S. Elkano. Behind the footprint. He delves into the biography of Juan Sebastián Elkano (1487 / 88-1526), and allows him to follow his vital mark, before, during and after the first circumnavigation of the Earth. Maritime Museum. From June 20th, 2019 until June 20th, 2020.
• In Bilbao. Temporary exhibition “Giants and Bigheads of Bilbao". Sample in which you can enjoy the popular characters of the Bilbao City Council. Basque Museum. From July 1st until September 15th.
• In Bilbao. West Side Story. Musical. Arriaga Theater. From August 14th to September 8th.
• In Bilbao. Ghost the musical. Auditorium of the Esukalduna Palace. From August 21st until September 7th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Ravel Festival. Mauricio Ravel Auditorium / San Juan de Luz Church. From August 26th until September 15th.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. FesTVal. Biggest event of Spanish Television in Spain. From September 2nd to 8th.
• In Biarritz. Oldarra - Men's choir from the Basque Country. Sainte Eugenie Church. September 2^nd and 11th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Ravel Festival. Mauricio Ravel Auditorium / San Juan de Luz Church. From September 2^nd until 15th.
• In Getxo. Gextophoto. Festival of photography that bets on the use of formats, supports and unconventional spaces to show the images. From September 4th until 29th.
• In Bayonne. 10th Meeting Ferrari. Vehicle exposures. Place des Basques. From September 6^th until 8th.
• In Biarritz. Time to Love Dance - Formulas 2, 4, 6 and 10 ballets. Several ballets Formulas of Time to Love Dance to choose from. Midnight station. From September 6th until 15th.
• In San Sebastian. Royal Garage World Tour. Ara Malikian is a well-known violinist who from a young age demonstrated a great talent for playing the violin. Kursaal Auditorium. September 7th and 8th.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. European Congress on Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism (EESAP 10) and International Congress on Advanced Construction (CICA 3). Europe Congresses Place. September 11th and 12th.
• In Bilbao. 38th Annual ESRA Congress - State of the Art Safety Standards in Regional Anaesthesia. Euskalduna Palace. From September 11th until 14th.
• In San Sebastian. Digital Health Congress: Challenges to move forward. Miramar Palace. From September 12th and 13th.
• In San Sebastian. Donostia Kutxa Kultur Festibala. Hippodrome of San Sebastian. Big party around independent music. On September 13th and 14th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Festivals of the Rue de la République.Parade for the center of the city. September 13^th, 14th and 15th.
• In Bilbao. Concerts of the Municipal Band. Atrium of Cultures. Low level. Azkuna Center. September 13th and 27th.
• In Vitoria. International Festival of Magic. "Magialdia 2019". From September 16th until 22rd.
• In Sopelana. Sopela Kosta Fest. Festival meeting between surfing, nature and music. From September 19th to 22nd.
• In Biarritz. Braderie de Biarritz. Nearly 150 shops in Biarritz offer the biggest brands at discounted prices. Ready-to-wear, lingerie, shoes, fashion accessories, luggage, perfumes and beauty products, home decoration, table and house linen ... .Centre town. From September 20th until 22nd.
• In Irún. EKODRIVE, Sustainable Vehicle Fair. Offer of electric and hybrid cars, bicycles and electric scooters. FICOBA. From September 20th until 22nd.
• In San Sebastian. International Film Festival "Zinemaldia". The Donostia Prize, this year, goes to actress Penelope Cruz. From September 20th to 28th.
• In San Sebastian. Sebastiane (LGBTQ) Awards: Sebastiane Award of the San Sebastian International Festival and the Sebastiane Latino Award. From From September 20th to 28th.
• In Biarritz. Chilly Gonzales. Canadian pianist and entertainer, well known for his intimate approach to the piano and his showmanship. Midnight station. September 21^st and 22nd.
• In Getaria. Warp and weft. Workshops for families. Families with children between 6 and 12 years old. Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. From September 22nd.
• In Getaria. Approach to the techniques of Haute Couture tailoring. Master class. Instructor: Javier Martín. Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. From September 27th until 29th.
• In Anglet. Patrouille de France. Aerial meeting. September 28th.
• In Bilbao. Open House Bilbao. Festival of open doors of Bilbao in more than 45 buildings to better understand the city through its architecture and urbanism. Free guided tours. This year also in Barakaldo and Gexto. From September 28th until 29th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. 45th Chapter of the Basque corsairs. Parade for the center of the city. Saint John the Baptist Church. September 29th.
• In Bilbao. Humor Festival. Ja! Bilbao is a festival that highlights the importance of humors in the arts, particularly in literature. Sala BBK, Alhóndiga Bilbao, Mercado de la Ribera, Campos Elíseos Theatre. From September 29th until October 6th.
• In San Sebastian. Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Kursaal Auditorium. September 30th and October 1st.
• In Biarritz. Latinamerican cinema & Culture Festival of Biarritz. From September 30th until October 6^th.

In Bilbao. Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. 

Female and male categories. Bridge of La Salve. 

September 14th

Regarding Basque sport:

• In Biarritz. Jai Alai Basque traditional sport competition. Several dates on July, August and September.
• In San Sebastian. Several sporting events of the Euskal Jaiak - Basque festivities: proof of the traditional regattas of traineras; Swim across the Peine del Viento, the Gipuzkoa Aizkolaris Championship first, the San Sebastian de Pelota Championship by hand, the Cross of Urgull and the Swimming Crossing of La Concha Bay. From August 31st to September 9th.
• In San Sebastian – Donostia. The biggest rowing event of the year in the North of Spain (dating back to 1879), the flag of La Concha will be hold by the winner of this event. From September 1st until 9th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Basque Ball with chistera. Municipal fronton. From September 4^th and 11^th.
• In Bilbao. The Cycling Tour to Spain 2019. A beautiful tour of the most incredible places in Bizkaia. September 6th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. 22nd Rally of the sea of old vehicles. Parade for the center of the city. September 8th.
• In Bilbao. Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Female and male categories. Bridge of La Salve. September 14th.
• In Saint Jean de Luz. Triathlons. 5 Triathlons (Iron man, Half Iron Man, Olympic distance, sprint, young handi). Gymnase Urdazuri. From September 14^th.
• In Vitoria-Gasteiz. BLAN Walk Cycling tour. The oldest in Spain with a purely cyclotouristic character. On September 14th.
• In Lekumberri-Andoain. Marathon Plazaola Greenways. On September 15th.
• In Biarritz. Basque ball in different modalities. Throughout the month of September.
• In San Sebastian. Horse races. San Sebastian Racecourse. From June to September.

And remember, if you are thinking to come to Bilbao, San Sebastian, Rioja, Vitoria, Bayonne, Biarritz, Pamplona or anywhere else in the Basque Country, you can get a better understanding on our culture and traditions with a local guide.

Enjoy the Basque Country!