In March 2024, Basque culture celebrates the 175th anniversary of the birth of Heraclio Fournier González. The most popular deck of cards in the Hispanic world was manufactured by Fournier in Vitoria and has the name of this city written on the ace of coins. Also born this month was the French Basque Joseph Maurice Ravel, the master of orchestration and best known for his famous bolero.

Ignatius of Loyola was canonized by Gregory XV on March 12th, 1622. Cristobal Balenciaga died on March 24th, leaving an important legacy for culture and the universal history of fashion. Like every year, in March, the Basque Coast Museum Network offers more than 200 activities many of them exclusive only in this month.

In March of this year 2024 you can enjoy this selection of cultural, traditional, congress, sporting and social events in the Basque Country:

 

Basque culture events in Bilbao and Biscay in March 2024

  • Pablo Picasso: Mousquetaire à la pipe (1968). The only painting by the painter in public collections in the Basque Country. It is accompanied by Bust of a Knight III (1967) from the Banco Santander collection. Room 20. Bilbao Fine Arts Museum. From October 18th, 2023 to March 10th, 2024.
  • Van Gogh Experience. Macro windows screen, 360 projections and virtual reality with Van Gogh paintings. NextMuseum. From February 9th to April 9th.
  • Giovanni Anselmo: Beyond the horizon. One of the povera artists, he approaches nature to rediscover its physical and energetic potential. 40 works, including photographs, projections, drawings, sculptures, as well as works made in situ. Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. From February 9th to May 15th.
  • Signs and Objects: Pop Art from the Guggenheim Collection. In addition to historical pieces from the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the exhibition will include a selection of new work by contemporary artists exploring the legacy of pop. From February 16th to September 15th.
  • ”Néstor Basterretxea. Design and architecture”. Great sculptor and one of the innovators of Basque art of the second half of the 20th century. Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao. From February 28th to May 26th.
  • Gustoko. V Artisanal and Quality Food Fair. Showcase for producers and artisans committed to their origins. Large market for artisanal food products. Pavilion 2 of the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC). From March 1st to 3rd.
  • Candlelight: Tribute to ABBA (Almen Quartet), Queen vs. ABBA and Tribute to Queen at the Church of the Incarnation. Coldplay vs. Imagine Dragons and Hans Zimmer in the Bilbaina Society. March 2nd, 8th, 9th, 16th, 22nd and 29th.
  • Occident Bilbao-Bilbao 2024. 35th Bilbao International Cycle Tour. Suitable for all cyclists. Short 85 km, Classic 115 km and Nursery 125 km. From the Deusto Bridge to a finish line on the Gran Via in Bilbao. … March 17th.
  • Memento Mori. Start of the European tour of the renowned British electronic band Depeche Mode. Bizkaia Arena – Bilbao Exhibition Centre, Barakaldo. March 21st.
  • Don Quixote and Ravel’s Bolero. Bilbao Orkestra Sinfonikoa. Euskalduna Palace – Auditorium. March 21st and 22th.
  • Swan Lakes and Minus 16. Dance Company Theaterhaus Stuttgart. Triple program that offers two adaptations of a great title and recovers a cult classic. Arriaga Theater March 22nd and 23rd.
  • Shen Yun 2024. Five millennia of traditional Chinese culture. Classical Chinese dance with innovative multimedia effects and totally original orchestral works. Euskalduna Palace – Auditorium. March 23rd and 24th.
  • M eme M (Mari Mythological woman). The mythological journey of a woman intersects with the four stages of life. Olaeta Ballets Association. Arriaga Theater. March 24th.

 

Enjoy Basque culture activities in Vitoria-Gasteiz and Alava

  • Gorka Urbizu. Navarrese musician and producer. Kubik Room. February 29th, March 1st and 3rd.
  • Almond Market. Exhibition and sale of food and craft products, entertainment and various commerce, gastronomy and cultural activities. Medieval town. March 2nd.
  • Concert by Álvaro de Luna. Jimmy Jazz Room. March 8th.
  • Spanish Brass. Musical Tuesdays. One of the most dynamic and consolidated chamber groups on the international music scene. Vital Fundazioa Kulturunea, Room A. March 12th.
  • Rachmaninoff / Strauss. Riccardo Frizza, director and Federico Colli, piano. Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Principal Theater. March 13th.
  • ‘Pilgrimage Manual’, Rodrigo Cuevas. One of the jewels of Spanish music. Principal Theater. March 14th.
  • Jesus Mendez. Singer from Jerez. Murcia Flamenco Summit Award 2015. Jesús Ibáñez Theater in Matauco. March 16th.
  • Final of the Bertsolaris Championship 2024. Principal Theatre. March 16th.
  • 100th anniversary concert of the Txistularis Municipal Band. Joint concert of the two Municipal Bands, the Music Band and the Txistularis Band. Main Theater. March 20th.
  • Alava Olive Oil Fair, in Moreda de Alava. The festival of the world of olive trees and oil in the province of Alava. Oil tastings, tasting of toasts with oils, purchase of products, exhibitions on the subject … March 17th.
  • Sonoma. Soma (body) and sonum (sound): body of sound or sound of the body. La Veronal Company, directed by Marcos Morau (2013 National Dance Award). Principal Theater. March 23rd.
  • Farmhouse fair. Artisanal, agricultural and livestock products. Crafts, musical performances, exhibitions of herri-kirolak (Basque rural sport) and dance shows. Okondo, Alava province. March 24th.

 

Basque culture in San Sebastian and Gipuzkoa in March 2024

  • Exhibition “Maeght Universe”. Works by Chillida and other artists such as Georges Braqué or Alexander Calder, inspired by the merchant Aimé Maeght and his wife Marguerite. Chillida Leku Museum, in Hernani. From December 2nd, 2023 to April 14th, 2024.
  • Quattrocento Voce: First Feature Tour. Nicknamed “Il Divo Spaniards”. Kursaal Auditorium. March 3rd.
  • Candlelight: Tribute to Queen by the String Quartet – Chamber Society. Maria Cristina Hotel. March 8th.
  • Basque Country Symphony Orchestra. Rachmaninoff-Strauss (March 8th and 11th) and Venegas-Britten-Prokofiev (March 20th and 21st). Kursaal Auditorium.
  • Great opera choirs. La Traviata, La Bohème, Aida and many more. Santa Cecilia Classical Orchestra and the Donostiarra Orfeón. Kursaal Auditorium. March 9th.
  • The game of chairs. Catalan company Cal Teatre. Build your own puppet in a workshop before the show. Activities for the International Puppet Day (March 21). TOPIC, Tolosa. March 9th.
  • Yeled + Shoot Me + Rhapsody in blue. National Choreographic Center / Aterballetto. Considered the most important contemporary dance company in Italy. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 10th.
  • Bulego: the leading pop band of the empty scene. He releases his long-awaited album “Aldatu aurretik” (Before changing). A sound and visual journey that will leave its mark. Kursaal Auditorium. March 10th.
  • Burgos New York Dance. 3 finalist works and winners of the Burgos & New York 2023 International Choreography Competition, from Spain, Italy and Cuba. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 11th.
  • Black Flamenco. Flamenco tango dance, with Afro-Cuban roots adopted by flamenco. Fernando López & Germain Boungou. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 12th and 13th.
  • Txalaparta Kukai Dantza + Jesús Rubio Gamo. An encounter between the typical Basque sound of Txalaparta and the best local contemporary dance. Victoria Eugenia Theatre. March 13th.
  • 13th. Euskal Metal Fest. Metal, heavy metal and thrash metal. Exclusive performance by the Swedish band Bloodbound with their new album “Tales from the North”. Larratxo Cultural Center of San Sebastián. March 16th.
  • Holy Week in Segura, Gipuzkoa. Where history and tradition intertwine in a cultural manifestation in a beautiful medieval town. From March 24th to 31st.
  • Holy Week in Hondarribia. The Good Friday Procession is notable, which along with Easter Sunday preserves ancient rituals in which the population participates massively. From March 25th to April 7th.

All people who have carried out or have contracted the services of Aitor Delgado Tours can contact me at any time to find out about those Basque culture activities that are carried out in the month of March 2024.

I will be happy to inform you about the key events of Basque culture also during the private and personalized tours that you have designed together with me.

February 17, 2024