Hendaye: Hiri Besta rocked the city before the Basque Festival

On Saturday, August 9, for this second and last day of Hiri Besta, Hendaye came alive with numerous activities, especially for children, in prelude to the Basque Festival this Sunday, August 10.

This Saturday, August 9, between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., children were the kings of the festivities in Hendaye. Inflatable games, a mechanical bull, climbing, the Place de la République was transformed into a paradise for children... Everything was there to entertain them. Following in the footsteps of the older ones the day before, the children also took part in the Hiri Besta foot race, through the streets of the city center.

Dozens of budding athletes set off from Place de la République to complete several laps of the course winding through the city center's streets. Many parents were on hand to cheer on their little ones.

This is the case for Cristina. She has lived in Hendaye for 15 years. Far from being her first time celebrating, this year had a special flavor. She eagerly awaited her children's visit during the race. "They're happy to be working out, and I'm keen to pass on this tradition to them," she emphasizes. At the finish line, Telmo, Lukas, and Mateo are out of breath, but the first thought that comes to mind is, of course, to quickly enjoy the activities on offer.

In the afternoon, the finals of the pelota tournament took place in front of several dozen spectators packed into the stands of the Daniel-Ugarte trinquet. Two Luziens swept the board in the third series. Baptiste Seillan and Xabi Quijano won by a score of 40 to 34 after less than an hour of play. For their third participation, the duo had come with the modest ambition of "having fun and enjoying themselves." Mission accomplished, with the winners' trophy as a bonus. The tournament then concluded with the second and third series finals.

Throughout the day, the Place de la République danced and sang to the rhythm of the bandas. As always, as evening approached, the public gathered, dressed in blue and white, in the city center to enjoy the bars of the various local associations and contribute to this shared excitement.

Join us this Sunday for the Basque Festival and its traditional parade, starting at 4:30 p.m., before bringing these festivities to a close in the evening.