Festivals and traditions in Anglet

Ihauteriak Angelu – Anglet Carnival

Deeply rooted in Basque culture, carnival (ihauteria) celebrates the end of winter. This ritual, organized at the Chambre d’Amour by the Angeluarrak and Kimua Ikastola associations, is a joyous live show open to all.

To the sound of the joaldunak, the procession moves along, with traditional Basque carnival characters surrounded by numerous Anglo-Saxon children. Color, music and dance lead up to the fateful moment: the judgment and sentencing of Zan Pantzar to the stake. All the year’s misdeeds will be burnt at the stake. In zirtzil (rags), every first Saturday in February, let’s leave winter behind and welcome spring!

Every first Saturday in February
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The Kaskarot

Organized one week after the Ihauteriak event. The dancers from the Angeluarrak association are back again, this time in the streets and homes of Angers! They wander around their headquarters between Place Lamothe, the Choisy stadium and El Hogar park.

In every village, a group of dancers and musicians is organized to visit the various houses and neighborhoods of the village during the carnival season.

The kaskarot are the main characters at Labourdine carnivals. They wear hats or crowns adorned with flowers, ribbons and colorful decorations on their costumes, and hold two sticks in their hands. Organized in groups of eight, they perform the makila-dantza (stick dances), as well as dance jumps, marmutx (dance of the little sticks), fandango and arin-arin…

Alongside the dancers are other characters: the flag bearer, ponpierrak, kotilun-gorriak (red petticoats), jaun-andereak (gentlemen and ladies), the bear and, depending on the village, other characters.

Mid-February
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Anglet Festival

For a week, Anglet lives to the rhythm of its patron saint festivals. With the participation of local associations, the town of Anglet offers a varied program for all generations, combining gourmet, sporting and festive events, not forgetting the funfair on the esplanade de La Barre for the young and old alike!

On the program:

Garbure competition: By the Confrérie de la Garbure Angloye, with sale and tasting of double fat.

Défi Sportif and Zikiro: By the Ibaialde association, with an ergometer rowing challenge and a bodega featuring mutxiko (Basque dance) and Angelun Kantuz (Basque songs).
Bookings for the Zikiro at the Anglet Tourist Office.

Basque Pelota tournament: The festivities come to a close with a Basque pelota tournament organized by Hardoytarrak.

Easter omelette

The Mailhouns, meaning seagull in Gascon, have kept alive the tradition of the Easter omelette, which dates back to the year 800. Indeed, William of Aquitaine is said to have initiated this custom by offering his vassals an egg-based meal at Easter. In the Middle Ages, the eggs collected from the surrounding farms were then distributed in the form of omelettes to the poor and needy.

That’s why every Easter Monday, an omelette is eaten. It’s become a festive dish! This gourmet event, linked to history, is also festive, with the presence of the trumpets, trombones and drums of the Banda des Genêts d’Anglet, always faithful to the town’s high points. As the years went by and the number of gourmands on the day grew, the Mailhouns decided to equip themselves accordingly, and in 2002 acquired a giant, custom-designed frying pan measuring around 1.80 m in diameter.

Tastings start at 11am, while stocks last, and are open to all, free of charge. However, you can make a small donation to the association.

Easter Monday
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La Maiada

Very much alive in the Landes and throughout Gascony, the maiada festival is also celebrated in Anglet. Let’s not forget that our motto is in Gascon! “Ma e Pignada per m’aida!” – “The sea and the pine forest to help me”.

Traditionally, the mai (young pine trunk) is planted on the eve of May 1^st.
But in Anglet, there’s more than just one date. The festivities extend over ten days, with two concerts, an exhibition, a conference, a children’s show and a stilt-walker troupe. The free concerts feature contemporary artists reinterpreting Gascon culture in their own way.

Early May
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La Force Basque

During the summer, it’s Basque strength’s turn to show its muscles. Straw-pulling, milk-can races, cart-wheeling, lumberjack competitions… these are the Olympic games of the Basque countryside.

Their origins can be traced back to daily chores. For centuries, young Basques have challenged each other from farm to farm. Even today, a handful of die-hard youngsters keep these disciplines alive, and they can be seen at several summer shows in Anglet.

July and August
Bookings at the Anglet Tourist Office

Olentzero

Anglet celebrates the return of light with Olentzero, a character from Basque culture and mythology. A messenger of light, he descends from his mountain every year at the winter solstice to herald warmer, longer days and celebrate a new cycle for nature.

Every year, the towns and villages of the Basque Country organize festivities around this popular tradition, to which everyone is invited!

Accompanied by Mari Domingi, a fairytale character known as his companion, ewes, horses, Angeluarrak dancers, Ibaialde singers, joaldun (another character from Basque culture who helps nature to awaken) and hundreds of students dressed in traditional costumes from Anglo-Saxon schools, the black-faced man marches to the sound of gaitero, txistulari and trikilari (traditional instruments) through the Pignada Forest, the streets of the Blancpignon district and on to the Pignada Gymnasium. A festive and convivial event, organized by the Kimua Ikastola association, not to be missed!

Saturday following the winter solstice
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