Typical festivities of San Sebastian

In San Sebastian, as in any self-respecting Basque town, we are quite the party people. We like music, dancing, parades, laughing and having a good time. And, obviously, throughout the year, even in winter, we have many festivals to enjoy all this. If you are going to visit us, it is essential to know our festivals, so here are the typical festivities of San Sebastian.

San Sebastian Day

In a city called San Sebastian, obviously the most important festival, and the first of the year, is the day of San Sebastian, more commonly known as Tamborrada.

On the 20th of January, the patron saint’s day, dozens of troupes of adults and children parade through the streets of San Sebastian to the rhythm of songs composed by Raimundo Sarriegui while playing the drum and the barrel. It is 24 hours of partying, the length of the day, during which sleep becomes impossible. The celebration begins and ends at midnight in the Constitution square, with the raising and lowering of the city’s flag, and for many Donostians it is the best day of the year.

The origin of this festival dates back to the French occupation during the War of Independence at the beginning of the 19th century. At that time, the people of San Sebastian mocked the French by banging on the barrels they used to collect water from the fountains, imitating what the soldiers did with their drums. Over time, this mockery has evolved into the festival we have today, and which is one of the absolute must-sees when you visit us.

Carnivals

Although the most famous carnivals in Gipuzkoa are those of Tolosa, where carnival is a religion, San Sebastian has always been a very carnival-loving city. In fact, our carnival is spread over several weekends in February. Starting with the first one, when the Caldereros troupes come out on Saturday and the Iñude eta Artzaiak on Sunday, and ending with the Burial of the Sardine on Ash Wednesday. In between there are modern troupes, traditional troupes, music, dances and lots of originality. If you happen to be in the city around that time, it’s a good time to leave your embarrassment aside and join in the festivities.

Carmen festivities

Also known as the festivities of the Port, this popular celebration is organised on the weekend closest to the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of seamen, which is celebrated on 16 July. During these days there are concerts, popular meals, giants and big-heads, brass bands, traditional games and sports and, of course, a figure of the virgin is taken out to sea by boat to bless the sailors of San Sebastian. Tribute is also paid to Aita Mari and all those who have died at sea, and there is a tamborrada.

These are intense days, in which it is not unusual to see the people of San Sebastian dressed as fishermen and in which young and old alike take part. It is one of our favourite festivities of the year, as the weather is good and the atmosphere is unbeatable. That’s why we always encourage visitors to mingle with the locals, enjoy the activities and appreciate the traditional and popular festivities that are not found in other places.

Semana Grande

Barely a month later, in August, the Semana Grande (Big Week) is held in San Sebastian. This festival, which began in the 19th century, is always held the week of the 15th of August, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, and is the main festival of the summer. It is a festival that spreads throughout the city, where during the day there are activities for children and adults, such as music everywhere, traditional sports such as pelota championships, parades of giants and big-heads, craft markets, cooking competitions… And at night, as well as concerts and open-air dances, there is the International Fireworks Competition that can be seen in the Bay of La Concha, which is usually the cherry on top of every day.

This is a week like few others in the year, with the city full of tourists, neighbours from nearby towns and Donostians alike, making it an ideal time to visit, even if it’s just for the day.

Saint Thomas’ fair

The last festival of the year, and another of the great favourites, especially for those who are not from San Sebastian, is the Saint Thomas’ Day, which is celebrated on the 21st of December. On this day, the fair of the same name is organised and it is the perfect occasion to discover the more traditional San Sebastian. The fair has been held for more than a century, when the farmers from the surrounding area used to come to pay the land rents to the landowners who lived in the capital and brought their best products to sell them at the market. Nowadays this no longer happens, but the fair is still held, each year with more success.

And the fair, as well as fruit and vegetables and a space for the exhibition of farm animals, contains an infinite number of stalls selling the most traditional gastronomy: cider, talos with chistorra sausage, cheese, Basque cake, doughnuts…. So it’s a good day to skip the diet. But it is also a good day to see us dressed up in our traditional costumes and enjoy our music and dances. Something more difficult to see at other times of the year.