F as in Festivities of Bayonne

The Bayonne Festivals are held every year in the French city of Bayonne, at the end of July or the beginning of August. They always start on the Wednesday before the first weekend of August and end on the Sunday after.

The origins

The Bayonne festivities took place for the very first time in 1932. They were then inspired by the Pamplona festivities. The idea was to accompany the July 14 celebrations with a quality program. It was a group of friends from the rugby section of Aviron Bayonnais who proposed to create the Bayonne celebrations, after having participated in the Pamplona celebrations several years earlier. All in the same spirit of celebration.

The colors

During the festivities of Bayonne, we can notice the predominance of two colors, which are red and white. The official dress of the festival is composed of a white outfit, as well as a red belt and scarf. Originally, these colors were blue and white. The blue representing the work of the workers. But red came to replace blue. Thus, every year, some participants still wear blue and white as a reminder of the original colors of the festival.

The festivities

Bayonne’s festivities are a feria type festival, during which fireworks, a large fair and bullfights take place. Many activities and shows are also organized: music and dance, pelota, dances, cow races, bandas… You can also attend float parades, concerts and toros de fuego (fire bulls). Each year, a personality is invited to launch the festivities of Bayonne with the mayor of the city.