| Popular Festivals |
We shall begin our extensive and popular tour of the Lea-Artibai region's festivals with two celebrations of marked seafaring tradition.
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Blue Saturday
On the last Saturday of June, Ondarroa holds the traditional Zapatu Azule (Blue Saturday), a very animated festival held in the old quarter of town. Participants wear the classical blue seaman's outfit.
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San Pedro day
On 29 June, Lekeitio celebrates the Saint Peter festival. After mass, a procession bearing a statue of the saint winds its way to the port, where the ritual Kilin-Kala ceremony takes place: the statue is bent over the water, a ritual that is thought to be favourable for fishing. After the procession, the traditional Kaxarranka dance is held, which was documented as early as the 15th century.
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Andra Mari festival
To continue in these two towns, but in reference to the festivals held in honour of patron saints, Ondarroa holds its Andra Mari festival on 14-17 August.
The festival commences when Leokadi and the Mamus are taken down from the highest part of the church. Legend has it that the Mamus watch over the people of Ondarroa all year to ensure their good behaviour. Only during the festivals, when the Mamus are taken down, is everything permitted.
On the 17th, the Mariñel Eguna (Seaman's Day) is held. This is when everyone dresses the traditional arrantzale seaman's outfit.
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San Antolin festival
Lekeitio's patron saint festivals, the San Antolines, are held on 1-8 September.
Many events take place, the oldest and most colourful of which is the Fiesta de los Gansos Goose Festival. Usually it is held on 5 September. The first record of this festival dates back more than 350 years.
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Virgen del Carmen festival
Markina-Xemein holds its festivals in honour of the Virgen del Carmen on 15 July.
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San Miguel festival
And on 29 September it holds one of its most important festivals: San Miguel de Arretxinaga.
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The other towns: Berriatua, Etxebarria, Mendexa, Gizaburuaga and Ispaster, hold their patron saint festivals with pelota championships, oxen events, country sports and folk festivals.
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Local romerias
Local romerias, religious processions followed by festivities, are events held in small villages. Although modest, they have great ethnographic value.
The romerías held in honour of Santa Kutz in Ondarroa, La Magdalena and San Lorenzo de Asterrika in Berriatua, San Martín and Santiago in Ispaster, Andra Mari in Ziortza and Gizaburuaga, and many more, are a faithful reflection of the way the people of these towns proudly keep their traditions alive.
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Throughout the year, these towns hold a series of celebrations whose origin is linked to solstice festivals.
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Carnival
Carnival signals the end of winter. The most popular carnivals take place in Markina-Xemein, Ondarroa and Lekeitio.
During Markina Carnival, one of the most popular, dancers turn out on the streets to perform the zahagi-dantza or wineskin dance, one of the dances that best represents the Basque carnival. A horrible bear, accompanied by its trainer, undertakes to chase any ghosts and the children too, of course!
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Goose Festival (Markina-Xemein)
During the same days, the traditional Goose Festival is held in Markina-Xemein. The particularity here is the young people on horseback who gallop under a dead goose attached to a rope. They grab it by the neck to make off with its head.
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San Juan festivals
The San Juan festivals signal the beginning of summer. Fires are lit in all the towns during the magical night on which the ancient ritual announcing the new solstice is repeated. In Ondarroa, several mythological characters go through the streets distributing flowers as protection against evil spirits, and dance around the fires.
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The festival of Santo Tomas
The festival of Santo Tomás, with its fairs and noisy atmosphere, announces winter and the arrival of the Christmas messenger, the mythological Olentzero, in all of the villages.
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Basque sport
