Bixintxo - Ciboure Festival
The patronal festival of Ciboure in honor of Saint Vincent
2026
About Bixintxo Ciboure
Bixintxo Ciboure — edition 2026
Bixintxo 2026 in Ciboure
The 2026 edition of Bixintxo will take place from January 16 to 25 in Ciboure. The official opening will be on Friday, January 16, at 6:30 PM on Rue Koxe Basurco, with the musical procession, the appearance of the giantess Aña, and concerts under the marquee.
As every year, the program will feature the Bixintxo Trail, the black pudding and fandango contests, traditional boat races, Basque games for children, tamborrada parades, and brass band processions through the streets. Popular meals, the solemn mass, and the mutxiko will complete these festivities in the purest Ciboure tradition.
Programme Bixintxo Ciboure 2026
Saturday, January 10th (Pre-opening)
- 3:00 PM — Mus tournament · Espace polyvalent Guy Poulou (register by calling 06 68 43 69 58 or on-site from 2:00 PM)
Friday, January 16th (Official opening)
- 6:30 PM — Meet at Rue Koxe Basurco: musical parade featuring the Tamborrada Marinelak, the school Tamborrada, the Estudiantina de Ciboure, Ziburu Euskaldun, and Begiraleak, with an appearance by the giant Aña emerging from the sea; the Des Vents et Marées company will accompany the opening parade (in case of bad weather, the event will move under the fronton marquee)
- 8:00 PM — Kaskarot Banda · Town Hall Marquee
- 9:30 PM — Karma · Town Hall Marquee
- 10:45 PM — Panda Valium · Town Hall Marquee (refreshment bar run by the APE Marinela)
Saturday, January 17th
- 9:00 AM — Pelota finals · Trinquet Ttiki (teens at 9:00 AM, 3rd series at 10:00 AM, 2nd series at 11:00 AM, 1st series at 12:00 PM)
- 9:30 AM — Bixintxo Trail, organized by the town and Ciboure schools (register at www.pb-organisation.com or on-site)
- 3:00 PM — Rugby match: Ciboure Rugby Club vs Sare
- 4:30 PM — Kaskarot Banda parade through the streets
- 8:00 PM — Dizkobolo · Marquee
- 10:00 PM — Bad Sound · Marquee
- 12:00 AM — Eh Sukarra · Marquee
- 2:00 AM — DJ Bull · Marquee
Sunday, January 18th
- 9:00 AM — Antique firearm festival challenge, organized by the Ciboure Shooting Society
- 10:30 AM — Solemn Bixintxo Mass featuring local choirs, followed by traditional dances with the Begiraleak group
- 11:30 AM — Bixintxo blood sausage competition, hosted by Errokatan (register by calling 06 07 55 97 70 or on-site before 10:00 AM)
- 12:00 PM — Complimentary wine reception hosted by the town of Ciboure
- 5:00 PM — Fandango competition hosted by Begiraleak (register at the Ciboure Tourist Office by calling 05 59 47 64 56 or on-site from 4:30 PM)
- 6:15 PM — Mutxikoak with Begiraleak
- 7:30 PM — Concert by Andoni Oilokiegi
Friday, January 23rd
- 9:00 PM — Paella dinner under the marquee, organized by the festival committee and featuring Utxaranga · €15 (includes paella, cheese, dessert, and wine), reservations required
Saturday, January 24th
- 2:30 PM — Children's activities featuring traditional Basque games, under the marquee · Gaia association
- 4:30 PM — Aboliçao Capoeira batucada parade through the streets
- 7:00 PM — Kalume · Marquee
- 9:00 PM — Basapiztiak · Marquee
- 11:00 PM — Ezezez · Marquee
- 12:00 AM — DJ Infernu · Marquee
Sunday, January 25th
- 8:00 AM — Nivelle Golf Course, Town of Ciboure Prize
- 10:30 AM — Street parade with the Tamborrada Marinelak
- 11:00 AM — Street parade with the Mad Jig Pipe Band
- 12:00 PM — Kantaldi (singing) at the fountain with Ziburu Euskaldun
- 1:00 PM — Festival lunch under the marquee, featuring the group Alaiak · €30 (includes chicken broth, blood sausage, chops, mashed potatoes, cheese, King cake, coffee, and wine), reservations required
Ongoing from January 16th to 25th
- Funfair around the port and in the town center
- Meal reservations via HelloAsso or at the festival committee office (4, Place du Fronton), from January 7th to 23rd: Wednesday and Friday 6:00 PM–8:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM–12:00 PM and 5:00 PM–7:00 PM, Sunday 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
- Free shuttles from Chez Valentin (Ciboure): Saturday, January 17th from 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM and Saturday, January 24th from 12:00 AM to 3:00 AM
Full program published by the festival committee and the Ciboure town hall (source: mairie-ciboure.fr, "2026 Program" PDF).
Prices Bixintxo Ciboure 2026
Bixintxo Ciboure — 2027 edition
The 2026 edition was held from 16 January to 25 January 2026. The dates for the 2027 edition have not been announced yet. This page will be updated as soon as the official programme is published.
Practical information — Bixintxo Ciboure
Getting There
Ciboure is located on the Basque coast, adjacent to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
- By car: A63 motorway, exit Saint-Jean-de-Luz Sud. Parking available along the port.
- By train: Saint-Jean-de-Luz - Ciboure SNCF station.
Timings
The festivities take place over ten days, with events mainly in the evenings on weekdays and all day on weekends.
Prices
Free access to most events. Meals are paid and require reservation.
Contact
- Phone: 05 59 47 26 06
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: mairie-ciboure.fr
The Patronal Festival of Ciboure
The Bixintxo festival in Ciboure is a patronal festival celebrated every year in January in honor of Saint Vincent. For about ten days, this picturesque town on the Basque coast, neighboring Saint-Jean-de-Luz, comes alive with festivities blending ancestral traditions, Basque culture, and entertainment for all audiences.
Spectacular Opening with the Giantess Aña
The official opening of the festival is an unforgettable moment. On Friday evening, on Rue Koxe Basurco, a musical procession begins with the Tamborrada Marinelak, school groups, the Estudiantina de Ciboure, and other local ensembles. The highlight is the appearance of the giantess Aña, a giant puppet that emerges from the sea, accompanied by street theater performances by the company Des Vents et Marées, incorporating the stories of Ciboure's inhabitants.
Contests, Trail Run, and Boat Races
The festival program is rich in competitions and challenges. The famous black pudding contest, led by the Kuxkuxtu brass band, brings together Basque charcuterie enthusiasts. The fandango contest, led by the Begiraleak group, celebrates this traditional dance. The Bixintxo Trail offers a sporting route in the surroundings of Ciboure. The traditional boat races in the port recall the maritime heritage of the town.
Concerts, Popular Meals, and Funfair
Under the large marquee set up near the port, concerts liven up the evenings with bands like Kaskarot Banda, Karma, and Panda Valium. The streets of Ciboure echo with parades of brass bands, tamborrada groups, and batucadas. A large traditional meal brings guests together under the tent on Sunday, while the funfair sets up around the port and in the town center for the delight of families.
Basque Traditions and Religious Celebrations
Bixintxo retains a strong spiritual and traditional dimension. The solemn mass is animated by Basque choirs, followed by honor dances performed by the Begiraleak group. The Sunday mutxiko invites all participants to practice traditional Basque dances. Traditional Basque games, offered free to children by the Gaia association, pass on the culture and traditions of the Basque Country to the younger generation.
Where does it take place — Bixintxo Ciboure
Bixintxo Ciboure in brief
History of Bixintxo Ciboure
Edition 2025 Jan 2025Other festivals near Ciboure
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .
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