Neighborhood festivals in Donostia: Local Guide 2026

In San Sebastian, we don’t just live for the Semana Grande and San Sebastian Day; for much of the year, the city’s neighborhoods celebrate their own neighbourhood festivals, a wonderful way to build community and get to know other San Sebastian residents. Some are as well-known as the Carmen Festival in the port (Kaiko Karmengo jaiak), but let’s get to know the others!

What are neighborhood festivals and their origins?

These neighborhood festivals, as the name suggests, are celebrations organized in the neighborhoods of San Sebastian. They aren’t created by the city government, but by the residents themselves, who, organized into associations, decide each year to put on these events. Every neighborhood in the city has its own, and some neighborhoods even have several festivals throughout the year.

These festivals have been celebrated for decades, serving as a way to strengthen neighborhood life, build community bonds, and attract residents from other parts of San Sebastian. They’re a great excuse to get out and explore, but also to support these neighborhood associations that work year-round to ensure everything runs smoothly and that make sure their festivals are for everyone, from children to the elderly.

And although these neighborhood festivals aren’t well-known among tourists, they’re a great way to get to know Donostia more deeply, so if your stay in the city coincides with one of these festivals, we encourage you to visit the neighborhood and discover a little more about San Sebastian. Book our free tour in San Sebastian to learn more about the city and its neighborhoods; we’ll share facts like these with you, and you can ask us anything you’re curious about regarding San Sebastian.

Annual festival calendar by neighborhood

Below is the annual neighborhood festival calendar, where you’ll see that some neighborhoods have recurring festivals and that some festivals last quite a while. This is because the celebrations are scheduled for weekends and therefore span several days in a row, we don’t party all day long, after all! And although it’s still early, the Donostia Kultura website links to the programs for these festivals, in case you want to check them out before your visit to San Sebastian.

15 – 25 January: San Sebastianes or Antiguako jaiak (Antiguo)

20 – 28 February: Aingeru zaindaria or Ibaetako jaiak (Ibaeta)

5 – 11 May: Txanpontxo jaiak (Bidebieta)

15 – 17 May: Morlanseko jaiak (Morlans)

4 – 8 June: Larratxoko jaiak (Larratxo)

5 – 22 June: Herrerako jaiak (Herrera)

12 – 14 June: Buenavistako jaiak (Buenavista)

12 – 22 June: Amara Berriko festak (Amara)

12 – 22 June: Antiguako San Juanak (Antiguo)

19 – 23 June: Oletako San Juan jaiak (Oleta)

23 June: Intxaurrondoko San Juan jaiak (Intxaurrondo)

25 -28 June: Intxaur festak (Intxaurrondo)

26 June – 1 July: Altzako San Martzial jaiak (Alza)

10 – 16 July: Añorgako Karmengo jaiak (Añorga)

15 – 19 July: Kaiko Karmengo jaiak (Old Town)

15 – 19 July: Karmengo jaiak (Amara)

16 – 19 July: Zipotz jaiak (Gros)

23 – 30 July: Zubietako Herri Jaiak (Zubieta)

20 July – 2 August: Amara Zaharrako jaiak (Amara)

20 July – 2 August: Loiolako San Inazio jaiak (Loyola)

4 – 5 September: Añorga-Txikiko jaiak (Añorga-Txiki)

4 – 6 September: Txomin Eneako jaiak (Txomin)

9 – 13 September: Jolastokietako jaiak (Jolastokieta)

10 – 13 September: Intxaurrondo Zaharreko jaiak (Intxaurrondo)

10 – 20 September: Aieteko jaiak (Aiete)

14 – 20 September: Porrontxo jaiak (Egia)

18 – 20 September: San Festo (Riberas de Loyola)

23 – 27 September: Altzako Seragines Arriaga jaiak (Alza)

7 – 11 October: Martu jaiak (Martutene)

8 – 11 October: Amarako Superxagu Jai Herrikoiak (Amara)

Highlights

The neighborhood festival programs are quite extensive, lasting several days with events spread throughout the day and sometimes well into the night. Plus, with all the festivals we have, there are plenty of activities throughout the season. Many activities are recurring, such as the chupinazo that kicks off the celebration, the fairs, rural sports exhibitions, pelota and mus competitions, concerts, community lunches and dinners, the giants and big-heads, and of course the tamborradas. So we’ve selected a few that we think might be the most interesting.

Elegant Bar Crawl (San Sebastianes): As the name suggests, this involves going from bar to bar while dressed elegantly, and it’s always accompanied by a brass band, which adds an extra dose of fun.

Miss and Mister Seniors (Txanpontxo Festival): Because festivals are for everyone, in Bidebieta they pay tribute to their seniors by choosing the most handsome and beautiful people in the neighborhood, a truly memorable moment worth witnessing.

Friday Concert (Herrerarako jaiak): If you like metal music, on the second Friday in Herrera they spare no expense and always bring in nationally renowned bands.

Cucaña (Kaiko Karmengo Festival): At the port, of course, and for both children and adults, the cucaña attracts many onlookers because of how difficult it is to grab the flag, it’s not something that happens every year!

Goitiberas (Loiola’s San Inazio Festival): Come watch the descent of these vehicles built by neighborhood groups and families, and pray that none of the participants get hurt.

Ginkaiak (Txomin Eneako Festival): A kayak scavenger hunt on the Urumea River, a super fun and unique activity, perfect for the summer days when it’s held.

Crew Ascent (or Descent) (Porrontxo Festival): Crews from the neighborhood of all ages climb or descend the Egia hill in costume, accompanied by a brass band, laughter is guaranteed.

Tips for tourists and visitors

The best advice we can give you is to go with the flow and keep an open mind. Neighborhood festivals are community events, organized for residents and other locals who want to join in. They aren’t primarily intended for outsiders, so don’t expect to recognize the performing groups or the songs everyone is singing. You’ll notice that people know each other well, with plenty of inside jokes and references you won’t understand. You’ll hear a lot of Basque, enjoy sports and traditional cuisine, and immerse yourself in our culture.

The goal is to have a good time; if you set aside your preconceptions and are respectful, the neighborhood residents will welcome you with open arms. Be curious, take an interest in what you see, and don’t be afraid to ask about anything you don’t understand, the locals will be delighted to help you and will be thrilled to see that visitors have taken the trouble to come discover their neighborhood.

Local recommendations and authentic experiences

As locals and residents of these neighborhoods, in addition to recommending that you go with the intention of having a good time, we suggest you do your best to mingle with the locals, you know the saying: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

But as for more practical tips, you’ll notice that at the bars, known as txosnas, they hand out hard plastic cups for which you pay one euro. Get one and reuse it as much as you can, it’s a great way to cut down on plastic, but each neighborhood also has its own unique cup, making it a nice souvenir to take home. You can also pick up a festival scarf, a sign that you’re part of the celebration. They’re sold at the txosnas and bars and make for another lovely souvenir.

As for which ones to go to… well, all the festivals are special, especially for the locals, but we particularly like the San Sebastianes in Antiguo, the Porrontxos in Egia, and the Zipotz jaiak in Gros. Although our absolute favorites are the Kaiko Karmengo jaiak, which we help organize.

So now you know, if you’re passing through Donosti and happen to be there during one of the neighborhood festivals, stop by. You’re sure to have a great time, and you’ll probably see us there!