Agenda

FESTIVITIES OF SAN ANTOLIN

Patron saint festivities in honour of the town’s patron saint, San Antolín, and among all the events that take place, the “Gansos” (geese) festival stands out. The festivities in Lekeitio take place from the 1st to the 8th of September 2023, with the big day being the 5th of September.

On 5 September 2023, the “Day of the Geese” (Antzar Eguna), a tradition with more than three centuries of history, will be celebrated. It consists of holding on to a goose hanging from a rope that crosses the port from one dock to another for as long as possible.

Several teams of participants approach the place where the goose is and one member of the team grabs the bird by the neck as tightly as possible. The “potina” boat leaves the spot and the group on land, who have the end of the rope, pulls hard and pulls the participant up.

Once at the top, the rope is released and the participant falls into the water from a great height. Then the rope is pulled again and the participant is pulled up again. This goes on until the participant falls when the bird is released or the neck of the bird breaks. The winner is the one who can hold on the longest. This tradition is one of the best-known spectacles in the Basque Country.

Programme of festivities: San_Antolin_Egitaraua_2023