In the Basque language, when you want to toast your friend or give a shout out or “cheers” to an entire party, you say “Topa!” In just a few short months, shouts of “Topa” will be heard all over Boise come late July when the Basque people celebrate their culture and their heritage with several days of summertime fun, activities and celebrations. Jaialdi means festival in Basque, and every five years, thousands of locals and visitors descend upon Boise for the largest Basque festival in the United States. This festival is an over-the-top, large-scale event with Basque food, drinks, music, dance and sports competitions. The festival is held the last weekend of July when the Basque people celebrate their patron saint, San Ignatius de Loyola. Jaialdi is centrally located in the Basque Block of Boise but spills over into other venues such as the Idaho Central Arena and Expo Idaho.
Boise’s thriving Basque community is one of the largest in the United States, with approximately 10,000 to 15,000 Basque American residents in the city. The Basque Block in downtown Boise serves as the community’s hub, featuring restaurants, shops, and the Basque Museum and Cultural Center, which educates both locals and visitors while celebrating Basque heritage.
The Basque Block is specifically located between Capitol Blvd and 6th St. on Grove Street. Murals reflecting the community’s heritage adorn the historic buildings in the area, while restaurants like Bar Gernika and Leku Ona serve traditional and authentic Basque dishes such as lamb stews and pintxos. The Basque Center, built in 1949, serves as a gathering place for the Basque people. The Center is home to dancing troupes and music groups, hosting tournaments for traditional Basque card games, along with several other events throughout the year. Many older members of the Basque community meet at the center in the afternoons to drink coffee, talk, and play cards. The public bar at the center offers cheap drinks and “the best bartenders in town.”
This Basque population in Boise and other areas of Idaho originally arrived from northern Spain seeking gold but found better work herding sheep on ranches in the mountains of central Idaho. In 1918, there were more sheep than people by a ratio of 6 to 1 in Idaho, and eventually, the American ranch owners realized they needed much more help. Slowly but surely, the Basque immigrants brought over many friends and relatives and created a real home away from home—not only were they surrounded by their people, but the mountains and land were not too dissimilar to the Pyrenees in their native land.
(The Basque Country is located in the western Pyrenees, straddling the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. More specifically, the Basque Country is geographically split between Spain and France. Specifically, it encompasses three provinces in northern Spain, three in southwestern France, and one in northern Navarra.)
The first Boise Jaialdi was celebrated in 1987 as a one-time event. That inaugural year saw 30,000 revelers participating—celebrating Basque culture together through exhibitions, performances, a parade, a symposium, and Mass. Then, in 1990, the second Jaialdi took place not only to honor the rich Basque culture but also to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Idaho’s statehood. The success of those first two festivals led to the organizers’ decision to hold Jaialdi every five years. Due to the pandemic, the most recent festival was held in 2015, making this year’s celebration the first in 10 years, providing even more reason to rejoice and commemorate the traditions and customs of the Basque people in downtown Boise.
The sports competitions during the festival feature the international champion weight-lifters—Harrijasotzaileak—lifting cylinders and stone balls, the woodchoppers or Aizkolariak showcasing their skills, as well as traditional rural sports (herri kirolak) like throwing hay bales, lifting wagons, and hoisting anvils.
Every day of the festival features “Basque-ing on the Block,” which is essentially a street party with food, drink, and strolling musicians. Thursday night culminates in a Street Dance with both Basque and Basque-American bands. Festara occurs on Friday—a celebration of the traditional music and dance of the Basque Country, including performers from Euskal Herria and Boise’s famous Oinkari Basque Dancers. Dozens of dance groups take to the two stages in the Expo throughout the day on Saturday, and vendors will be present selling novelties, jewelry, and clothing.
Saturday night is Dantzaldi—a high energy, all ages concert headline by the internationally renowned Basque rock band Gatibu.
The party finally winds down on Sunday evening with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John The Evangelist, where the Boise Onati Dancers will perform a sacred liturgical dance on the altar.
Music, dance, and good food are at the heart of Basque culture. The Basque people understand the importance of being with others and sharing what they have. This sense of community, togetherness, and camaraderie—discovering the simple joys in life—can be felt everywhere during Jaialdi and every day with the Basque people.
Basque cuisine is known for its bold and diverse flavors, reflecting its mountainous and coastal geography. Key characteristics include the use of fresh seafood, particularly salt cod, and local ingredients like garlic, spicy peppers and Idiazabal which is sheep’s milk cheese. Additionally, Basque cuisine features a variety of stews, grilled meats and fish, and a unique tradition of pintxos (Basque tapas).
Some simple Pintxos recipes to try as you prep for Jaialdi:
Gilda
- Skewer green Spanish olives, piparras (Basque peppers), and Boquerón’s. Voila. Done.
- Make ahead of time: Place on a tray, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until guests arrive.
A Spread of Basque Cheese
Technically, this isn’t considered pintxos, but serving a spread of cheese is one of the easiest appetizers to prepare. Much of the cheese from the Basque region, including these three, is made from sheep’s milk.
You can usually find Idiazabal and Ossau-Iraty at your local cheese shop. Serve these cheeses with crackers, jamón serrano, salty nuts, membrillo, and/or jams.
Idiazábal is a sheep’s milk cheese known for its buttery, nutty, and subtly smoky flavor. It is traditionally enjoyed with membrillo (quince paste) and walnuts.
Ossau-Iraty is a firm sheep’s milk cheese from the French Pyrénées. It is creamy and rich. Serve it with Marcona almonds to enhance its nutty flavor.
P’tit Basque cheese is produced on the French side of the Pyrénées. It is a medium-firm cheese with a strong aroma.
- Cheese is most flavorful at room temperature, so this can be set up early, making it one less thing to pull out of the refrigerator later.
Montadito de Txangurro
Txangurro is a species of spider crab. The shredded crab is mixed with mayonnaise and spooned over sliced bread or crostini, which is a bite-sized open-faced sandwich.
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup crème fraîche
- 1 tbsp dijon
- Lemon zest and juice
- Espelette or smoked paprika
- Sliced chives
- Shopped parsley
- Salt to taste
Prepare in advance: Drain the crab and mix it with all the ingredients (feel free to adjust the seasoning as you like it). Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Just before guests arrive, re-season if needed and spoon onto toasts.
Bacon-wrapped dates
Dates, pits removed — goat cheese — bacon slices
Pinxtos recipes from Paris Dining Club
Make ahead: Cut each date lengthwise, but not in half. Stuff with goat cheese and pinch the date to close it. Slice the bacon in half and tightly wrap each date with a bacon slice. Use a toothpick to secure the bacon around the date. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Bake on a parchment-lined baking tray for 15-20 minutes, flipping them halfway through to crisp both sides.
For more information on the festival and festival events, go to jaialdi.com