Everything You Need To Know About Bilbao's Semana Grande Festival

Semana Grande or Aste Naguisa, is one of the most anticipated events on the Bilbao calendar and one of the Basque Country‘s most important events. Here’s everything you need to know about the festival, from when it happens, to its origins and what’s involved. Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

When does it happen?

Semana Grande, also known as Aste Nagusia (meaning ‘Big Week’), is Bilbao’s biggest festival and is a nine-day event which occurs in the month of August. This year it will be held from the 19th to the 27th of August 2017.

What’s it all about?

What are its origins?

Semana Grande began in the early 1970s with a series of paid-for events such as theatre productions, opera and bullfights, as well as a few Basque cultural offerings. Then in 1973, Spain’s biggest department store, El Corte Inglés decided to organise a Basque Rural Sports Week, a free program of competitions such as stone lifting (harrijasotze), wood chopping (aizkora) and tug-of-war (sokatira).
Finally, in 1978 all these various events were brought together for one big festival in the first Semana Grande or Aste Nagusia. A week before the event, the artist Mari Puri Herrero was commissioned to create a symbol of the festival, and this is how the puppet Marijaia was born.

The culmination of Semana Grande

Semana Grande ends on the 9th day when the Marijaia puppet is burnt in front of a huge crowd. She will be recreated next year, ready to party again.

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