The city of San Sebastian is appointed as the capital city in the province of Gipuzkoa next to the Basque Country in Spain. The locales of the city are called donostiarras. San Sebastian is a blessed city having been abounding with natural resources and fascinating landscapes, no doubt it has been visited by millions of tourists the whole year round. But other than the fascinating attractions and landscapes in San Sebastian, other reasons that draw back the attention of the tourists of coming back here is due to the city’s traditional celebrations. Some of the interesting celebrations to witness in San Sebastian are the following:

The Basque Week – this traditional celebration is celebrated every first week in the month of September. The main focus of the event is particularly on the Basque culture such like oxen wagers, stone lifting contests, pelota games, and cider tasting festival, dance exhibitions and the major highlight which is the rowing boat competition.

The San Sebastian Day – celebrated during the 20th day of January. The locales will celebrate an event which they called the “Tamborrada Festival”. At midnight, the mayor of the city will raise the San Sebastian Flag in the Konstituzio Plaza. All of the locales will stay there for a span of 24 hours and the entire city would be surrounded with drumming sounds. The adults during this event will dressed like soldiers and cooks and they will walk along the city.

The Aste Nagusia/Semana Grande – this event is celebrated in the middle month of August. The celebration feature fireworks competition which is being presented every year. The day after the competition the winner would be announced. Besides the fireworks competition, brass and bands will be poured out in the streets playing famous performances and music. There would be fairground attractions by the seaside walkway and at the beach.

San Sebastian is one of the most captivating and most visited cities in Spain. It is as well appointed as the capital province of Gipuzkoa. The locales of San Sebastian are called the donostiarras. In the 2007 survey, San Sebastian had 183, 090 estimated population. The main factor why San Sebastian is a rushing vacation destination since the city is full of life when it comes to nightlife, festivals, traditions, sightseeing, culture and more. So if you want to know more better San Sebastian, start it through witnessing their yearly celebration.

Semana Grande—this is a lively celebration which is celebrated in the middle part of August annually. The celebration kicks off with a firework competition which could be seen every night at the bay. After the firework competition, the winner will be then announced. In addition to the celebration, Semana Grande as well features brass bands throughout the streets with their famous music and performances.

The San Sebastian Day—this festivity is commemorated every 20th of January. The locales also called the celebration as the Tamborrada Festival. During the midnight, San Sebastian Mayor will raise the city’s flag in the Konztituzio Plaza and after raising the flag, a 24 hour drumming sounds will dominate the entire part of San Sebastian. The locales especially the adults will dress like soldiers and cooks and marching along the streets of San Sebastian. It is an amazing march because it will go on for the entire night.

San Sebastian’s Basque week—commemorated during the first week of September. The festivity is focusing on celebrating the Basque culture and tradition, starting it with the stone lifting contests, cider tasting festival, pelota games, dance exhibitions and more. But the most interesting and the most highlighted part of the event is the rowing boat competition.

San Sebastian is a city full of life and interesting activities, we can never blame those vacationers who keep coming back around San Sebastian to witness its annual festivities and celebrations.

After the exciting Christmas and New Year celebration, the locales as well as the tourists of San Sebastian Spain are still all excited to the upcoming event of the city—the San Sebastian Fiesta. Every year, during the month of January both the locales and the tourists are excited because the San Sebastian Fiesta is one of the most amazing events that were about to happen in Spain. It seems like everybody is busy preparing something, from the traditional costumes that the locales were going to wear during the parade to the eye catching paintings displayed by the common and well known artists.

Not only San Sebastian Spain prepares for the said event but also the country of Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico the celebration kicks-off with some of the Puerto Rico’s famous artists displaying their masterpieces of paintings and any other formed of arts. There will be lots of expected traditional dances on the streets, many palatable foods prepared, contemporary music and more.

The San Sebastian Feast will be celebrating in San Sebastian Spain exactly during the 20th of January. The event is the best time to know better the history how Sebastian had became a saint. Sebastian was historically known as an Imperial Roman army. He was also the son of a very wealthy family and being educated in Milan. Beyond his significant and unique story, Sebastian was considered as a Saint because of his being a martyr during the Christian movement and because it is believed that his aura is the reason why a mute woman was cured. This miracle spreads all over the people and until now remains incredible and holy.

Through visiting the city and joining its fiesta, you will eventually know the history beyond St. Sebastian. And upon your learning, you will appreciate his being martyr and his being a leader with courage and determination but remains good and soft hearted.

It is all over the blogosphere and I want to join the euphoria. It is true indeed that Ian McKellen the 70 year old actor of several hit films like Lord of the Rings, X-Men series, Gods and Monsters will be awarded in San Sebastian Film Festivals. McKellen will be receiving a lifetime achievement award which was announced last Friday by the organizers. He will be given a Donostia Award which honors the career and works of a great film personality. Former recipient of the same awards were Meryl steep and Spain’s Antonio Banderas.

McKellen’s versatility in his acting career which varies from Shakespeare classics to present superheroes like Gandalf in the film Lord of the Rings and even antagonist Magneto in X-Men series has already won him various awards. The film Gods and Monster has won McKellen a Silver Shell award for the category ‘best actor’.

San Sebastian International Film Festival is one of the grandest and prestigious film festivals in the Film Industry which will take place from 18th to 26th of September. The festival will welcome worldwide known actors in almost all genres.

It is at this time that San Sebastian will again be the centre of the limelight; thus tourist will get a closer sighting of favorite actors and actresses. Fireworks and various activities will be stage in the city.

It is already expected that crowds will be present from the first to the last day of the festival in San Sebastian. The city is already a desired destination because of its pristine beaches and cultural centre and the festival would surely add thousands of tourists to flock to the city for the festival.

The fireworks display is also one of a million in the history of the festivals. Photographers will also feast on this activity. If you plan to stay in San Sebastian for the rest of the festival days then expect to experience only the best and grandest any city can offer to their guest.

I did not miss the La Semana Grande in San Sebastian. It was one of the most romantic and memorable travel I had ever had. Yes, La Semana Grande is so romantic for me even with the milling people all over the place; I found the niche for romance in this San Sebastian Festivities coupled with various sun-setting evening. We can not just get enough of the orange colors that bathe us and the architectures during this nightly rendezvous.

La Semana Grande is already a year old tradition that attracts tourist. It was celebrated with a whole week display of fireworks, musical events and other events. It gave us time to change our location for viewing the fireworks display every evening. It was the sunset ritual every dusk time that give the element of being romantic even with thousands of people milling around you. You can not just help but hold hands and whisper dreams.

La Concha is filled with waiting crowd and gapes at the fireworks display amids ahhhs and wows. The crowd then would go there own way to seek entertainment the whole night. Some invade the discotheques and bars until 4 in the morning. The bullfighting event is also regarded as the major activity in the Big Weekend yet the fireworks display is simply wonderful.

Yet for those who loves to eat and restaurant hop or food hop. Then please do not miss the Tarte de Queso which will make you fall in love on the same dish a hundred times. Even with the international San Sebastian festival- La Semana Grande; the tourist can not just but allot time to taste San Sebastians Cuisine.

San Sebastian City gave us one great venue to enjoy culture and festivities. No wonder it was sought after by tourist from world over.

As the capital city of the province of Guipuscoa which is in the Basque country of Spain, San Sebastian is the best when it comes to their incredible and vibrant yearly festivals. Here are some of the most significant festivals about to happen in San Sebastian every year.

• The San Sebastian Day—the San Sebastian day or the feast of San Sebastian is commemorated every 20th of January. During this day, the people of San Sebastian are commemorating the festival called the Tamborrada. The highlight of the festival includes the raising of the flag by the city’s mayor which is being held in the Alde Zaharrata/Parte Vieja. The entire city of San Sebastian would be experiencing a 24 hour sound of drums. The adults during the event would attire as soldiers and cooks and will march around San Sebastian through the whole night.

• The Basque Week Festivity—it has been decade since this festivity was started. And until now it still exists and has been awaited for both the tourists and locales. The event takes place during the beginning of the month of September. The event would feature the Basque culture like performances of the traditional yet improvised poets , oxen wagers, Basque pelota, cider tasting festival, stone lifting, dance exhibitions and the most highlight is the rowing boat competition.

• Santo Tomas Festival—this festival is being commemorated during the 21st of December, which fall in the winter cold season. Early in the morning, you will already notice that there are various stalls arranged within the city center. The crowds that will join the event were mostly wear traditional Basque costume as the farmer.

• Semana Grande / Aste Nagusia Festival—in Spanish the festival is called Semana Grande while in Basque it is called Aste Nagusia or Big/Main Week. The festival is celebrated every mid-August of the year. During the festivity, there would be a firework competition which is held over the bay every night. The festival also features great activities like popular music performances, fairground attractions and brass bands on the streets.

The city of San Sebastian has been famous as one of the most visited cities of Spain. There are many reasons why every year this city of Spain has always been filled with different tourists. And there are many ways to know the city better aside from touring around and dropping at their museums and landmarks. One way to know better the city is by witnessing their yearly festivals. Most of the time, during the festival days of San Sebastian the city is expected that their population will grow due to the presents of different tourists from all over the world.

On the other hand, below are some of the city’s yearly celebrated festivals:

The San Farmin—this festival significantly happened in the town of Pamplona every month of July. This festival is famous as one of the biggest festival celebrated not only in San Sebastian Spain but all over the country. The festival includes in their lists of activities the running of bulls.

The Jazz Festival—celebrated yearly, this famous festivity is held every month of July for the period of the last 35 years at the end of the latter month. The celebration would usually feature famous Jazz artists to perform.

The San Sebastian Day—this festivity is celebrated during the 20th of January which is known in the city itself as the customary Basque party.

The Semana Grande—held every month of August. The celebration mostly displays concerts, around the clock partying in the streets, fireworks in the bay and open air cinema.

The Fishing Boat Regatta—celebrated in the month of September, the La Concha Bay is the place where the competition is held. Every regatta team would compete here trying their best to grab the best regatta team and get the award as well.

The International Film Festival—yearly film festival which is commemorated at the end of the month of September, the festival will showcase films all over the world.

Aside from the truth that the city of San Sebastian is blessed with great panoramic sceneries, it is as well famous for its yearly festivals. Every year, this amazing city was enveloped by many tourists to witness its yearly festivals. The city of San Sebastian is known as a trendy seaside resort encircled with green lushes of mountains situated in the captivating Basque country.

It has everything when it comes to captivating beauty worth to see or view. San Sebastian boasted two pristine beaches, a tiny port for amazing craft, fascinating historical old towns and luxurious buildings. It’s either wet or hot there is always a place for you in San Sebastian. The famous activities held in San Sebastian include the following.

• The Tinkers Parade—this activity is expectedly held every first Saturday during the month of February. The parade commemorates the arrival of the Hungarian tinkers which is lead by a bear that accordingly represents the animals from the Basque carnival mythology. The parade is composed of troups which wear different unique costumes that beats hammer against the pots. The parade as well feature dances presented by Sinti and Roma women.

• Festival Internacional de Cine de Donostia –San Sebastian—the most famous film festival all over the world. Most of the audience or tourists who previously witness the event are expected to come back every year to witness again the celebration. It is a well a respected film festival which can be compared to have the same value of that both Venice and Cannes Film Festivals. The film mostly been held in the stunning venue of the beautiful glass facing the sea.

• Fiesta del 31 Agosto —held every year during the month of August 31. This sympathizing festival is yearly been celebrated in the commemoration of the people who have survived the atrocious fire that bombarded the town of San Sebastian in 1813. It mostly held in the Basilica de Santa Maria del Coro nearby the place where the fire had occured.

• San Sebastian Day—every year during the month of January 20th this festival has been commemorated. Saint Sebastian was a known a martyr during Christian movement. Though he belonged to a wealthy family, he never used it against his enemies and instead became martyr. He was known nowadays as the Saint for young adults and athletes.

San Sebastian featured greatly this year the amazing architecture, arts and beautiful beaches. San Sebastian located at the center known as Pepinianos Town of the karsts region for the residents living call it pepinos or haystack hills. Pepianos Town plaza you will find an attractive and well-maintained buildings and church in front of the plaza.
Recently, Agriculture Department conducted weekly at the Plaza Agropecuaria a family-friendly bazaar. It offers different kinds of exhibition by weaving hammock called Hammock Festival.

This year annual celebration that falls in the month of January spot for a great festival in the San Sebastian Street of old San Juan. It is a very colorful and a little terrifying vejigante of the San Juan at the San Sebastian Festival. A carnival environment pervades in blocking the area as a fairground rides, lively music that taking over the road area and food stalls. Local’s parades by day by doing the traditional masks of Puerto Rican processions which are vividly colored in yellow, blue and red and imprinted into comical and grotesque shapes. As nightfall, sound systems and live music provides a great party in which old and young rotate to tango and classic tunes of Puerto Rican.

Old San Juan was created by the festival of San Sebastian which is Puerto Rico saint that gives a so much to do about the liberation. During the celebration, streets are quietly full of people who visit every year and you can hardly move throughout the area. But that would be fine because you will hear the spirited tempting music and some musicians will skip the area playing their tambourine or drum along the side yelling and clapping. The Christmas lights are still continuous lighting up during this celebration until January 17. This was held every mid January for a whole week in San Juan with a massive party along the street, music and processions.

In taking a visit at Old San Juan in San Sebastian is a great way for you to submerge yourself in the spirit of vacation.

The world’s film in just one festival! San Sebastian Film Festival is scheduled this month on September 18 to 27 which highlights several films from almost all races from English to the Latin films.

Originally the festival is meant to honor the films on Spanish language. It is an annual event in the capital city of Donostia- San Sebastian that started in 1973. The festival only started to include other languages films in the 1950s. The awarding of the films is done by a jury though an award called an Audience Award is given to the most well-like film of the audience. The Golden Shell, Silver Shell and Donostia Awards are the main awards of the festival.

The top most award given by the festival is the ‘Concha de Oro’ or the Golden Shell to the films that competes in this festival; the giving of this award only started in 1957. And on the year before this particularly in 1954 and 1953 the top most awards has been named as the Gran Premio and on 1956 and 1955 it changed to Silver Shell.

Then San Sebastian Film Festival is gaining popularity and getting attention worldwide after those years. In fact it received the International Critics’ Big Award amid the year 1980 and 1984.The Donostia Award is given to one or several actors in the festival starting 1986.

Several Hollywood actors, actresses and directors already grace the festival since the start of its popularity. To mention some Anthony Hopkins, Robert De Niro, Anthony Quinn, Elizabeth Taylor, Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith, Howard Hawks, Robert Altman and many more.