Jaialdi—Boise’s Basque Festival
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. [...]