Semana Grande starts with a bang in Bilbao

Semana Grande (literally “Big Week”) is easily the most anticipated week in Bilbao´s annual calendar of events. The Basque people are famously proud of the fact that this fiesta lasts 9 days, meaning they can claim it as the festival with the longest duration in the world. This year, the festivities run from Saturday the 20th until Sunday the 28th of August and those 9 days are packed to the brim with an endless array of activities.

This Saturday, a group of students from our Spanish language school met to watch the “txupinazo,” the official opening of the Semana Grande. At 7pm sharp, a firework was let off from the balcony of the stunning Arriaga Theatre by the “pregonero,” the name given to the person awarded this significant task. The heat on Saturday afternoon was almost intolerable but the students survived the humid 35 degrees to watch an exciteable chaos ensue in the Plaza infront of the theatre when the firework was set off. The Mayor of Bilbao made a speech and then the the song to honour the “Marijaia”, the famous symbol of the fiestas, was played. The incredibly keen people were those stood directly in the Plaza Arriaga and, as soon as the firework exploded, so did the crowd. The atmosphere was very much one of fiesta, with everyone already singing and dancing, eager to begin the famous Semana Grande.

The students had to wait another hour before the “txosnas” (festival tents and stalls) were officially opened by the giant Marijaia passing round, so it was then at 8pm when the fiesta really began! This week sees a seemingly endless array of entertainment in Bilbao. To name but a few, there is a fireworks competition every evening at 10.30pm, a bullrun every day at 6pm, traditional Basque dances in Plaza Nueva and constant concerts, performances and theatre productions.

Get involved with Semana Grande, certain to be a week you won´t forget in a while!