Reno Basque Festival
Nevada has the third largest Basque population in the U.S., and Reno knows how to celebrate it. Carrying on a tradition that started in 1966, the Reno Zazpiak Bat Basque Club hosts the Reno Basque Festival: a free, full-day celebration of the culture, cuisine, and community that Basque immigrants brought to the Silver State.
Every summer, the Biggest Little City goes Basque with music, dance troupes, woodchopping, weight carrying, and a hearty lunchtime feast during the legendary Reno Basque Festival.
The festival kicks off with feats of strength: Athletes and amateurs alike compete in traditional weightlifting and wood-chopping exhibitions, with more txinga (Basque-style weight-carrying competitions) rounding out the afternoon. Between events, dance troupes keep the energy and excitement high.
And then there’s the food. Our advice: Show up hungry. The not-to-be-skipped Basque lunch is a hearty highlight, featuring heaping servings of lamb, chorizo, solomo (pork loin), beans, salad, bread, cheese, and wine, all served in the generous, communal style that make Nevada’s Basque boarding houses legendary.
The Reno Basque Festival, located at McKinley Arts & Culture Center, is free to attend and open to all. For the full schedule of events and the latest details, visit the Reno Zazpiak Bat Basque Club’s website.
