How to enjoy January 2021 in San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa and French Basque Country

Traditions, arts, music, sports, events & exhibitions agenda of January 2021 in San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa and French Basque Country.

We select for you the best cultural, traditional, festive, sports, professional and exhibition activities that occur in January 2021 in San Sebastian (Spain), Gipuzkoa or French Basque Country.

Please note that some of the events below may change due to regulations to control Covid-19.

Arts, congress and exhibits in January 2021 in San Sebastian or nearby:

• From November 27th, 2019 to December 2020. Exhibition: “Elkano. The first travel around the world”. The expo claims that the first circumnavigation was possible thanks to Elcano’s initiative and his nautical knowledge. Basque Maritime Museum. In San Sebastian.
• From December 6th, 2019 until January 30th 2021. Eduardo Chillida: Seeking the light expo. From a trip that the sculptor made in 1963 through Greece, Italy and French Provence in which he discovers new concepts around light and architecture. Chillida Leku Museum. In Hernani.

• From February 29th to April 5th, 2021. Fashion and Heritage: Cristobal. It puts the focus on Cristóbal Balenciaga himself and the imprint he has left behind as a person through various objects that belonged to him and that have been collected in the Museum’s collections. Part of the annual program for the 125th anniversary of his birth. Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. In Getaria.
• From July 18th to January 3rd, 2021. Exhibition: La Poterie D’Art de Ciboure 1919 – 1995. Basque Museum of Bayonne. In Bayonne.
• From September 11th until January 1st, 2021. Zin Ex. From abstraction to algorithm. It focuses on experimental cinema, to complete the city’s cinematic offerings during the San Sebastián Film Festival. Tabakalera International Center for Contemporary Culture. In San Sebastian.
• From November 27th until February 14th, 2021. Exhibition: Hugo Pratt, Corto Maltese, Dessin Au Long cours. Hugo Pratt (1927-1995), creator of the famous character Corto Maltese. DIDAM. In Bayonne.
• From December 22nd, 2020 to January 10th, 2021 (except Mondays, December 25th and January 1st). Christmas at the Balenciaga Museum. Special 2X1 discount. Workshop “From the plane to the volume” (January 2, for children from 6 to 12 years old). Workshop “Create your felt beret” (January 3, from 7 to 14 years old). Cristobal Balenciaga Museum. In Getaria.
• January 2nd. “Heroes and Heroines”: 250th anniversary of L.V. Beethoven (1770-1827). EGO (Young Orchestra of Euskal Herria). Chamber room. Kursaal Palace. In San Sebastian.
• January 8th. New Soul Fifties album released in 2019: Alain Souchon. Is an artist apart in the landscape of French song. Lauga Room. In Bayonne.
• January 12th. Ruin Porn Body is a kind of memory road movie, a journey on the roads of time. Through themes such as the ruin, abandonment and aging of places. “Théâtre du Corps” by Thierry Escarmant. Michel Portal Theater. In Bayonne.

• January 15th. Hervé Barbereau’s new show: “Hypnosis through time”. Show where humor and anecdotes intermingle. La Luna Negra. In Bayonne.
• January 15th and 21st. Season of subscription of the opera. Aire nordikoa: B. Bartok, J. Sibelius and L.V. Beethoven. Euskadiko Orkestra: Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Kursaal Palace. In San Sebastian.
  January 16th. Tara: from resilience to life. The winner of the 2nd Edition of Radio-Crochet “Singing under the Luna”, comes to present her universe to us. Voices, guitars and instruments from around the world. La Luna Negra. In Bayonne.
• From January 18th until 24th. FIPADOC – International Documentary Festival. International Co-Production Forum and the Campus are already organized to be accessible also from a distance. A fully digital edition will be rolled out if the conditions to organize a hybrid festival are not met. Gare Du Midi Theater. In Biarritz.
• From January 20th until 23rd. How to marry a billionaire. A good marriage remains a very good remedy for insecurity. Unique in its kind, this “economic one-woman-show” is a bit like the “who’s who” of international wealth for young girls to marry. La Luna Negra. In Bayonne.
• January 25th. Philippe Jaroussky accompanied by the Ensemble Artaserse and Hasse a Scarlatti program. Arias from oratorios of baroque music. Kursaal Palace. In San Sebastian.
• January 29th. Season of subscription. Survivors. Euskadiko Orkestra: Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Kursaal Palace. In San Sebastian.

Best Basques traditions and festivities:

• Every Wednesday. Agricultural Fair. Farm products fair. In Hondarribia.
• Wednesdays at Damarri Plaza and Saturdays at the Port. Agricultural Fair. Sale of local products. In Ordizia.
• Every Saturday. Agricultural Fair. Farm products fair. In Tolosa.
• Every Saturday. Agricultural Fair. Vegetable Fair. In Irun.
• From November 27th, 2020 until January 3th. Noël 2020. Local events, Concert, Youth Audience Show, Procession, Parade. In Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
• From December 1st., 2020 until January 7th. Christmas Market. The Buen Pastor Cathedral Square and the Urumea riverside walk. Inspired by Centraleurope Christmas Markets, this Christmas Fair has a wide commercial offer, leisure space, its activities program….. In San Sebastian.
• January 4th. Urteberriko Fair. Exhibition and sale of farmhouse products. Cattle exhibition. Fruit, vegetable and cheese contest. In Deba.
• January 5th and 6th. Cavalcade of Kings. In Vitoria-Gasteiz, Bilbao and San Sebastian. Cancelled.
• January 12th. Donkey day. Astotxo Fair. Contest, exhibition and rating of the donkey of Gipuzkoa. In Lazkao.
• January 12th. Fair of agricultural products of Euskal Herria. Competition for vegetables, cheese, bread, Basque cake. St. Peter’s Square. In Sestao.
• Around January 15th. Start of the season of the Basque Cider. The main area in the Basque Country is in Astigarraga (near San Sebastián). There are some 51 Basque cider houses in Guipúzcoa, 10 in Vizcaya and 2 in Alava. The cider season begins on January 15th and runs until the end of May. In Astigarraga.

• January 17th. Presentation of the Getaria txakoli season. Coinciding with the festival of San Antón. Txakoli, anchovies and bonito. Basque sports, music and bertxolaris (Basque repentistas). In Getaria.
• January 18th. Zuhaitz Eguna. Tree Day. Sale and exhibition of trees. In Arrasate / Mondragón.
• January 19th and 20th. The most popular festivity of San Sebastian, the Drum Festival “Danborrada”. The city is filled with drums, barrels, parades, colour, music & food! in honour to the local saint (Saint Sebastian). A true local festival loved by locals and only enjoyed by locals as the best part happens during the night of 19th January (starting at 8pm and with the raise of the local flag on the midnight of 19th to 20th that will wave in the Constitution Square until the midnight of 20th to 21st). In San Sebastian, Tafalla and Azpeitia.
• January 26th. Sagardo eguna. Cider day. In Zarautz.
• January 27th and 28th. Pending confirmation. Carnival. One of the most interesting local festivals takes place with the Zanpantzar announcing carnival time. Festival of Tourist Interest in Navarra. On In Ituren and Zubieta (Navarre)
• January 30th. The party of the boilermakers. Various comparsas emulate the Hungarian Gypsies who visited the city to sell their products during the Carnivals. It is a peculiar way of announcing this holiday. In Anoeta, Astigarraga, Irun, Tolosa and San Sebastian.

In our excursions you can also ask us and receive information about the best activities that are available during your stay in San Sebastian or surrounding cities, towns, coast, places,… in all Gipuzkoa province or French Basque Country.

For any information about our personalized and exclusive city tour in San Sebastian and Gipuzkoa in this link you can contact us. And to visit the French Basque Country contact us at this link.