Bixintxo - Fêtes d'Hendaye
The patronal festival of Hendaye in honor of Saint Vincent
2026
About Bixintxo Hendaye
Bixintxo Hendaye — edition 2026
Bixintxo 2026 in Hendaye
The 2026 edition of Bixintxo will take place from January 16 to 25 in Hendaye. The festivities will begin on Friday evening with the spectacular return of Étienne Pellot to the port of Caneta, followed by the omelet contest at the Halles de Gaztelu.
On the program for this new edition: tamborrada, Basque pelota games, mutxiko, concerts, children's shows, pintxo pote, popular meals, and a funfair. The town of Hendaye will once again welcome visitors and residents to celebrate Saint Vincent together in the purest Basque tradition.
Programme Bixintxo Hendaye 2026
Friday, January 16th
- 5:45 PM — "Le Retour de Pellot" Parade · departs from Port de Caneta, arrives at Place de la République
- 6:00 PM — Dance performance by Cie Surprise Effect · Place de la République
- 6:15 PM — Opening of the festivities with Pellot and local school children · Place de la République
- 7:00 PM — Children's potato omelette contest · Esplanade des Halles de Gaztelu
- 7:00 PM — Champions Hendayais awards ceremony (by invitation only) · Halles de Gaztelu, performance hall
Saturday, January 17th
- 2:00 PM — Mus tournament, organized by the Centre Social Denentzat (register via SMS at 06 69 73 68 19 or on-site from 1:00 PM) · Halles de Gaztelu
- 6:15 PM — Opening of the exhibition by local Hendaye painters from the Haize-Hegoa association · Halles de Gaztelu, exhibition hall
- 7:00 PM–8:00 PM — General rehearsal for the tamborrada with presentation of pennants · Place de la République
- 8:00 PM — "Pintxo Pote" musical entertainment · Place de la République
Sunday, January 18th
- 10:30 AM — Mass featuring the Hendaye Concert Band · église Saint-Vincent
- 5:00 PM — Concert by the Hendaye Concert Band, conducted by René Zugarramurdi (free admission, limited seating, tickets must be collected at Halles de Gaztelu before January 16th) · église Saint-Vincent
Tuesday, January 20th
- 3:00 PM — Bixintxo afternoon tea for the city's seniors, with musical entertainment (reservations required by 01/16 with the CCAS at 05 59 48 23 10) · Halles de Gaztelu
Friday, January 23rd
- 8:45 PM — Pelota matches, Series B championship (Dario–Loza, Amiano–Eskiroz) · Fronton D. Ugarte
- 10:00 PM — Pelota matches, Series A championship (P. Etxeberria–Rezusta, Larrazabal–Mariezkurrena II), €25 (reservations at 06 87 53 73 13) · Fronton D. Ugarte
Saturday, January 24th
- 12:00 PM — Gathering of some of the tamborradas · in front of the Halles de Gaztelu and the beach district clubhouse
- 3:00 PM — Tamborrada performances in the Joncaux, Gare, Bas-Quartier, and Plage districts
- 5:00 PM — City-wide entertainment, departing from the Esplanade des Halles de Gaztelu
- 6:00 PM — Tamborrada gathering · Place de la République
- 7:00 PM — Talos and pizza evening hosted by the Ikastola · Bodega des Halles de Gaztelu
- 9:00 PM — Concert with the band Bacano Banda (free) · Halles de Gaztelu
Sunday, January 25th
- 10:00 AM — Alarde de txistus · city center
- 10:30 AM — Mass · église Saint-Vincent
- 11:30 AM — Mutxiko · Esplanade des Halles de Gaztelu
- 12:30 PM — "Zikiro" community meal, €25 (main course, cheese, and dessert; drinks extra), musical entertainment by the group Kantu (tickets must be collected at Halles de Gaztelu before January 16th) · Halles de Gaztelu
Funfair from January 10th to 25th at the Fronton de Gaztelu Zahar. Drum rentals at Halles de Gaztelu on Tuesday, January 6th and Wednesday, January 7th (1:30 PM–7:00 PM); returns on Tuesday, January 27th and Wednesday, January 28th (8:00 AM–12:00 PM and 1:30 PM–7:00 PM). Program published by the City of Hendaye on January 5, 2026 (source: hendaye.fr).
Prices Bixintxo Hendaye 2026
Bixintxo Hendaye — 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 Hendaye
Access
Hendaye is located on the Franco-Spanish border, in the extreme southwest of France.
- By car: A63 motorway, Hendaye/Irun exit. Free parking in the city center.
- By train: Hendaye SNCF station, served by TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Spanish Euskotren trains.
Schedule
The festivities take place over ten days, from Friday to the following Sunday, with events mainly in the evenings on weekdays and all day on weekends.
Prices
Most events are free to access. Popular meals are subject to a charge and require booking.
Contact
- Phone: 05 59 20 00 34
- Website: hendaye-tourisme.fr
The patronal festival of Hendaye
Bixintxo is the unmissable event of Hendaye life. Celebrated every year in January, this patronal festival honors Saint Vincent, the patron saint of the city, through ten days of entertainment combining Basque traditions, shows, gastronomy, and conviviality. Bixintxo brings together Hendaye residents and visitors in a festive and warm atmosphere that marks the beginning of the year in the Basque Country.
The return of Étienne Pellot, corsair of Hendaye
The opening of the festival is marked by a spectacular moment: the return of the famous corsair of Hendaye Étienne Pellot. According to tradition, this historical figure, having escaped his English jailers, arrives from Portugal disguised as a pilgrim after passing through Santiago de Compostela. His landing at the port of Caneta, accompanied by schoolchildren, launches the festivities to the cheers of the crowd gathered in the Place de la République.
The Tamborrada, the beating heart of Bixintxo
The tamborrada is the highlight of the festival. This parade of companies to the sound of drums goes through the streets of Hendaye in a joyful and infectious din. The general rehearsal with the presentation of the pennants, and then the grand parade on the last weekend, are moments of popular communion where the entire city vibrates to the rhythm of the percussion. The txistularis (Basque flute players) also accompany the processions in the city streets.
Basque pelota, gastronomy, and entertainment
Bixintxo offers a rich and varied program throughout the ten days. Basque pelota games, including the prestigious 2-on-2 bare-hand match as part of the Spanish championship, attract enthusiasts to the fronton. The potato omelet contest, popular meals (suckling pig, zikiro), and pintxo pote in the city center will delight foodies. The funfair sets up at the Gaztelu Zahar fronton for the delight of families.
Mutxiko, concerts, and shows
Sunday mornings are enlivened by mutxiko, these traditional Basque dances open to all. Concerts, children's shows, and musical evenings punctuate the two weekends of the festival. The Hendaye choir offers a concert in the majestic setting of the Saint-Vincent church, adding a cultural and spiritual dimension to the celebrations.
Where does it take place — Bixintxo Hendaye
Bixintxo Hendaye in brief
History of Bixintxo Hendaye
Edition 2025 Jan 2025Other festivals near Hendaye
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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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