50th annual Basque Festival gets underway, this time hosting the national convention
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – At Bakersfield institutions like Wool Growers restaurant, every weekend is a Basque festival. But this weekend is special. It is the Basque Festival, not just any Kern County Basque Festival.
This four-day event marks the local Basque Club’s 80th birthday and this event’s 50th anniversary. Over the past half-century, the Memorial Day weekend Basque Festival has outgrown its original purpose – fun, food, preservation of culture, and drinking at the Basque Club, though it is certainly still all that too.
There’s a serious scholarly component now that Cal State Bakersfield has launched its Institute of Basque Studies, led by philosophy professor Steve Gamboa.
This Bakersfield event is extra special, due to the national Basque convention being here in conjunction with local events. Members of that organization were taking care of business in a Wool Growers banquet room for much of Friday.
Wool Growers co-owner Christiane Camou, granddaughter of immigrant founders Mayie and J.B. Maitia, was happy to have them. Happy to have all of it, especially after the extended pause in the festivities caused by the pandemic.
“The fact that we didn’t have it for a while, now It feels like when we get together we really embrace it,” Camou said. “We probably took it for granted years back. So, we get together, everybody greets each other with two kisses on the cheek.”
Six local Basque community leaders, including Christiane’s mother, Jenny Maitia Poncetta, the semi-retired former owner of Wool Growers, will be honored at a free concert Friday night at CSUB’s Dore Theater.
Also on the weekend agenda: Efforts to create a National Basque World War II Memorial, site to be determined. Pedro Olarzabal came all the way from Bilbao, in Spanish Basque country, to talk about it.
“For the past nine years,” Olarzubal said, “we focus on the U.S., and all those Americans of Basque heritage and Basque immigrants that came to the United States and joined the U.S. Armed Forces for World War II.”
Families of Uvalde school shooting victims are suing Texas state police over botched response
On Saturday, a Mus tournament – a uniquely Basque card game (pronounced “moosh”), similar to poker, we’re told – and the NABO Pilota finals – similar to squash or racquetball, will be held.
That evening – and here’s where Basques of all races and ethnicities may want to pay attention – will be a tri-tip barbecue, with dance performances and, later, an open dance floor. Are even non-Baques welcome?
“Yes, yes,” said Camou. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Sunday is 10 a.m. Mass, then more festivities including a Monday morning breakfast at Woolgrowers, the only day of the year they serve breakfast – then off they go, until the next Basque in a few weeks, somewhere else. Those Basques know how to party.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
