What to do in the Basque Country Events - Agenda January 2020

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

Our selection of best art, sport & cultural events in the Basque Country during January 2020.

 
Start of the season of the Basque CiderIn Astigarraga.
The cider season begins on January 15 and runs until the end of May.

Best Basques traditions and festivities:

  • In Bilbao. Christmas Market. Bailén street. From December 1st until January 3rd.
  • In Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Noël 2019. Local events, Concert, Youth Audience Show, Procession, Parade. December 1st until January 5th.
  • In San Sebastian. Monumental Nativity Scene. Plaza Gipuzkoa hosts a traditional nativity scene for more than 50 years, with 152 figures of approximately one meter in height. From December 1st until January 6th.
  • In Bilbao. Traditional nativity scenes. 13 nativity scenes of different formats and styles. Museum of Steps. From December 1st until January 7th.
  • In Bilbao. Traditional nativity scenes. The Church of San Nicolás, the Cathedral of Santiago, the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art, the Mercado de la Ribera, the Basque Museum and the Bilbao Maritime Museum show the public more than 50 nativity scenes composed of almost 800 handmade figures. From December 1st until January 7th.
  • In San Sebastian. Christmas Market. The Buen Pastor Cathedral Square and the Urumea riverside walk. Inspired by Centraleurope Christmas Markets, this Christmas Fair has a wide commercial offer, leisure space, its activities program…. From December 1st. until January 7th.
  • In Laguardia. Articulated nativity scene. One of the few baroque nativity scenes with movement that are preserved today. Set of 73 pieces of which most are Rococo style. Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes. From December 1st until February 7th.
  • In Bilbao. GABONART. XXXVI Christmas Craft Fair. Exhibition and sale of craft products. From December 13th until January 6th, 2020.
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Christmas Craft Fair 'Lan ta lan'. Province Square. From December 13th to January 6th.
  • In Barakaldo, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Irún and San Sebastian. Children's Christmas Park. Wide range of activities to enjoy in family, especially for the children of the house. Bilbao Exhibition Center (December 18th - January 5th). BAKH of Vitoria-Gasteiz (December 24th to January 6th). Kursaal San Sebastian (December 22nd - January 4th). FICOBA Irun (from December 26th until January 4th).
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Belen Monumental. Popular tradition since 1962. Composed of more than 200 human figures, buildings and hundreds of animals and accessories. Florida Park. From December 23rd until January 6th, 2020.
  • In Irun. PIN! PAN! PUN! Children's Christmas Park. FICOBA. From December 26th to January 4th.
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Children's Christmas Park. Wide range of activities to enjoy in family, especially for the children of the house. Hegoalde Civic Center. From December 26th to January 4th.
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao and San Sebastian. Cavalcade of Kings. January 5th and 6th.
  • In Astigarraga. Start of the season of the Basque Cider. Around January 15th. The main area in the Basque Country is in Astigarraga (near San Sebastián). There are some 51 Basque cider houses in Guipúzcoa, 10 in Vizcaya and 2 in Alava. The cider season begins on January 15 and runs until the end of May.
  • In Mungia and Amurrio. San Antón Fair. Morcillas and Chorizos Contest, ball games and sale of products of the hamlet, kitchen utensils, trees and plants of all kinds. From January 17th to 22nd.
  • In San Sebastian, Tafalla and Azpeitia. The most popular festivity of San Sebastian, the Drum Festival "Danborrada". The city is filled with drums, barrels, parades, colour, music & food! in honour to the local saint (Saint Sebastian). A true local festival loved by locals and only enjoyed by locals as the best part happens during the night of 19th January (starting at 8pm and with the raise of the local flag on the midnight of 19th to 20th that will wave in the Constitution Square until the midnight of 20th to 21st). January 19th and 20th.
  • In Ituren and Zubieta (Navarre). Carnival. One of the most interesting local festivals takes place with the Zanpantzar announcing carnival time. Festival of Tourist Interest in Navarra. On January 27th and 28th.
  • In San Sebastian. Program: The Earth. Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Kursaal Auditorium. January 30th.

J. S. Elkano. Behind the footprint
Bilbao Maritime Museum. 
From June 26th, 2019 until June 26th, 2020.


Regarding arts, congress and exhibits in Basque Country:

  • In Guetaria. 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. J. S. Elkano. Behind the footprint. He delves into the biography of Juan Sebastian 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 26th, 2019 until June 26th, 2020.
  • In Bilbao. Thomas Struth exhibition. Extensive sample of the German photographer. Guggenheim museum. From October 2nd until January 19th, 2020.
  • In Billbao. Soto: The fourth dimension. Retrospective of the work of the Venezuelan painter Jesus Rafael Soto. Guggenheim Museum. From October 18th, 2019 - February 9th, 2020.
  • In Bilbao. Kunsthalle Bremen masterpieces: from Delacroix to Beckmann. Collection of sculptures, engravings and drawings, focused on art in Germany and France from the 19th century until the middle of the 20th century. Guggenheim museum. From October 25th, 2019 until February 16th, 2020.
  • In Bilbao. Around the World in 80 Days. Musical comedy. Euskalduna Palace. January 4th.
  • In San Sebastian. Program: An angel. Symphony orchestra of the Basque Country and the violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann. Kursaal Auditorium. January 10th and 13th.
  • In Biarritz. Swan Lake. Classical ballet in 2 acts and 4 paintings. The Russian School of Classical Dance, Saint Petersburg School of Excellence. Gare du Midi Theater. January 12th.
  • In San Sebastian. Dock of the Bay Festival. San Sebastian Musical Documentary Film Festival. In addition to cinema, it includes concerts, parties and other activities. In Trueba cinemas, Tabakalera and the Principal Theatre. From January 13th to 18th.
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Program: An angel. Symphony orchestra of the Basque Country and the violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann. Main Theater. January 14th.
  • In San Sebastian. The Great Night of the Spanish Guitar. Rolando Saad, guitar. Kursaal Auditorium. January 17th.
  • In Bilbao. Blanca Li Company Dance: Solstice. Celebrate beauty, power and energy, as well as the fragility of Nature and Humanity. Arriaga Theater. January 17th and 18th.
  • In San Sebastian. IATM - 58th Annual General Meeting. The Annual General Meeting of the International Association of Tour Managers Ltd. Silken Amara Plaza Hotel. January 28th.
  • In Bilbao. Creative Trend Fair. Crafts Hall. Bilbao Exhibition Center. From January 30th to February 2nd.
  • In Bilbao. Annie The musical. A contextualized musical in New York City in the 1930s. Champs Elysees Theater. From January 31st to February 2nd.
  • In Bilbao. Jekyll & Hyde. The Broadway Musical. Based on the novel ‘The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ by Robert L. Stevenson. Champs Elysees Theater. From January 31st to February 2nd.

Ice skating in the White Virgin SquareIn Vitoria-Gasteiz. 
From December 14t until January 6th.

Regarding Basques and others sports:

  • In Bilbao. Ice rink and slide. Ecological ice. Muelle del Arenal, and Muelle de Ripa. From November 18th to January 5th.
  • In Vitoria-Gasteiz. Ice skating in the White Virgin Square. From December 14t until January 6th. From 10 in the morning to 10 at night.
  • In Gorbea, Zaldiaran, Adarra, Urkiolagirre, Loatzo ... and other Basque mountains. Start / End the year in the bush. One of the most entrenched traditions is to say goodbye to the year or greet the entree from one of the reference peaks. December 31 and January 1st.
  • In Biarritz. Basque ball in Cesta Punta. Jaï Alaï Center. French Championship. January 2nd.
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.

 contact Aitor Delgado Basque Private Tour Guide

Enjoy the Basque Country!