Summertime, and everything is Basque—at least from July 29 through August 3 in Boise. Our city’s beloved quinquennial (a fun way of saying “every five years”) festival returns to celebrate Basque culture through delicious food and inspiring music, dance, and sports. Jaialdi, which means ‘festival’ in Euskara, the Basque language, was first celebrated in Boise in 1987. 2025 marks the festival’s joyous return after ten years, and there’s a lot to celebrate. 

A Brief History of Jaialdi 

The first Jaialdi took place at the Idaho State Penitentiary. It celebrated everything about Basque culture, stemming from the vibrant Boise Basque community and rooted in the traditions of the Basque Country. More than 30,000 people attended the first Jaialdi to watch events like dancing, sports exhibitions, and a parade. 

Fun fact—if you are the type to find facts fun: the first Jaialdi was supposed to be a one-off festival. Because of its success, then-Governor Cecil Andrus asked the Boise Basque community to hold a second Jaialdi in 1990 to celebrate Idaho’s 100th anniversary. The 1990 event was so popular that Boiseans decided to do it again every five years. 

Jaialdi takes place during the last weekend of July, which coincides with the celebration of San Ignatius de Loyola, the patron saint of the Basque people. This year is the eighth Jaialdi in Boise. A true labor of love, the festival is run entirely by devoted volunteers. 

Bringing Basque Communities Together, Near and Far 

While festivals celebrating Basque culture take place in almost every town in the Basque Country and hundreds of cities across the Basque diaspora, Jaialdi is a uniquely Boise event deeply rooted in the City of Trees. We’re lucky to be home to one of the most concentrated Basque communities in the United States and to share and celebrate its culture. 

People living in the Basque Country travel to Boise for Jaialdi to experience their own culture through the lens of the Basque-American diaspora. More than 30,000 people have shown up for each festival so far, and organizers are expecting between 30,000 and 40,000 this year. Jaialdi is the largest Basque festival in the United States, and one of the largest outside of the Basque Country. 

What to Expect for Jaialdi 2025: More Food, Music, Dance, and Sports 

This summer is the first time in a decade that Boise and the global Basque community will come together to celebrate in person, so organizers are pulling out all the stops. As they shared, “the scale of international participation adds a new dimension to the festival and highlights the global connections that make Jaialdi so meaningful.” 

For the first time, Jaialdi 2025 will feature a downtown Dantzaldi at the Idaho Central Arena, just steps from the Basque Block. A large indoor concert and dance held on Saturday night of the festival, Dantzaldi features a mix of Basque folk, rock, and fusion music​, with internationally beloved Basque rock band GATIBU headlining this year. 

In addition to GATIBU, Jaialdi 2025 welcomes four other international Basque music and dance groups, and dozens of local and national performers. Professional Basque athletes will participate in Herri Kirolak events like stone lifting and wood chopping.  

Expect the return of many of your favorite traditions to mark this long-awaited celebration​. Friday evening features Festara, a theatrical performance showcasing traditional dance and music from American Basque communities and visiting groups from the Basque Country​. 

On Saturday, you can see the Oñati Korpus, a sacred dance traditionally performed in the Basque town of Oñati. Dancers use hoops, castanets, and intricate steps as they perform inside and outside the church​. It will take place during the Jaialdi Mass at St. John’s Cathedral. 

And of course, the food. Lael Uberuaga, the Marketing and Media Chair of Jaialdi, weighed in on a few of her favorites: “If you’re visiting Jaialdi for the first time, make sure to try an order of croquetas (fried balls of béchamel paste mixed with ham, fish, or chicken). They are so so good! For a very on-brand Basque festival drink, my favorite is  an equal parts red wine and Coca-Cola drink called a kalimotxo. Don’t knock it until you try it. It’s cold, refreshing, and delightful!”

A cultural homecoming for Basques across the globe, Jaialdi brings together people from the Basque Country and the diaspora, offering a chance to celebrate heritage, reconnect with family and friends, and share Basque culture with all of us lucky enough to participate. 

As Lael perfectly sums up, “I grew up participating in cultural traditions related to my Basque heritage so it’s second nature to me, but I get excited all over again to think so many people care about what we’ve built here in Boise, and care about and are interested in what ‘Basque’ means. It’s an honor that so many people decide that Jaialdi is where they want to be, to see the Basque traditions of old and how we’re still celebrating being Basque today.” 

¡Topa!

Jaialdi 2025 at a Glance: 

When: July 29 – August 3

Where: Boise, Idaho  

What: A six-day celebration of Basque culture through food, dance, music and sports, from paella on the Basque Block to the Oinkari Basque Dancers at Festara and Herri Kirolak, the traditional Basque rural sports. 
Learn more about the history of Jaialdi, view the schedule, and find out how to get involved at jaialdi.com.