Basque Festival July 25 and 26

at Wingfield Park in Downtown Reno

This year's festival is part of a larger event of the North American Basque Organizations (NABO) 30th Annual Convention. The 2009 festival also marks a number of significant anniversaries:

• the 50th anniversary of the First Western Basque Festival that was held at the Dick Graves Nugget (John Ascuaga’s Nugget) in June 1959

• the 41st anniversary of the Center for Basque Studies at UNR

• 20th anniversary of UNR’s Zenbat Gara Dance Troupe that has served as ambassadors and mentors for the Basque culture and dance groups throughout the American West.

The NABO meeting will take place Friday morning with the dedication of the Center for Basque Studies' new facility and reception in the afternoon. In the evening a multimedia performance by Zenbat Gara will take place. It will feature live music by Mikel Urbeltz and Marian Arregi and will be followed by a Dantza Ganbara led by Juan Antonio Urbeltz and Fernando Aristizabal. Dantza Ganbara is a dance party for everyone with brief instructions before each piece.

 

The festival begins on Saturday July 25 at 10 am with dancers from many NABO Basque clubs performing a traditional suite of dances, accompanied by live musicians from the northern Basque Country.  Following the dance portion other traditional Basque activities will take place including the weight-carrying competition, wood-chopping exhibition, as well as a children’s Bota drinking contest. Traditional food and souvenirs will be available for sale throughout the day. 

 

Sunday’s festivities will begin with an open-air Catholic Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral (310 West 2nd Street) at 10:30 am featuring traditional Basque music, dances, and song followed by a Basque BBQ lunch served in the West Street Plaza.  The afternoon will be reserved for dancing, card playing and visiting until 3 PM.