Every year, at the beginning of March, Bidart celebrates the transition from winter to spring: Carnival or “ihauteriak” in Basque. Costumes, parade, trial and judgment are on the program for this festive day. Friendly and family atmosphere guaranteed!
Do you know San Pantzar ?
The famous carnival character San Pantzar is the symbol of human stupidity, gluttony and is said to be responsible for all the disasters and bad news of the past year. To get spring off to a good start, it is then necessary to judge this character. The verdict is the same every year, San Pantzar is found guilty and is burned in a public square.
Carnival and the Basque Country
In the Basque Country, each province or each village has its own specificity.
In Labourd, we find San Pantzar and his judgment. In Lower Navarra, Carnival is celebrated twice, first with Santibate then with Libertimendua. In Soule, another tradition: Mascarade.
Despite these different ways of celebrating the arrival of spring, we find one thing in common: a trial is carried out to denounce all the bad news of the past year.
