Fêtes de Bayonne
The Fêtes de Bayonne ( Basque : Baionako Bestak , Occitan : Las Hèstas de Baiona ) are a traditional folk festival in the city of Bayonne , in the French Basque Country ( department Pyrénées-Atlantiques ). The festivities always begin on the Wednesday before the first weekend in August (earlier on the first Wednesday in August) and last until the following Sunday. With 1.5 million visitors (2004) it is one of the most important and most popular festivals in France and therefore also part of the official French cultural heritage.
Procedure and traditions
During the festival, visitors, mostly from France and Spain, flock to various parades, show dances, taverns, stands and loud music in the old town of Bayonnes. The official colors are based on the Sanfermines , which have been held annually in nearby Pamplona since 1591 ; Visitors are therefore traditionally dressed in a white top and a red cloth ( foulard ).
history
The Fêtes de Bayonne were launched in 1932, inspired by the Sanfermines , and have grown steadily ever since. Today, the festivities are again extremely well known, especially among young people, and have also become a popular destination for visitors, which further boosted tourism in the entire region.
In 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 new world records were also set in dancing when up to 7764 people danced a “Paquito el chocolatero”, a Paso Doble composed in 1937 by Gustavo Pascual Falcó .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Fêtes de Bayonne ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
