The International Folklore Festival Of Bermeo

Every year since 1986 Bermeo celebrates the International Folklore Festival organized by Alkartasuna Dantza Taldea and supported by the City Council of Bermeo

A great deal of groups from different countries has joined us during all these years, such as: Galicia (Spain), Portugal, Catalonia (Spain), France, Turkey, Belgium, Serbia, Mexico, Argentina etc. They were warmly welcomed by the group as well as by the citizens.

The Festival is usually held in the second week of August and lasts five days approximately. Not only do the groups perform in Bermeo, but they also have the opportunity to present their folk music and dances in other places of the Basque Country.

These are our festival’s purposes

  • To see and admire other cultures and customs.
  • To spread our culture and folklore to other countries.
  • To meet people from other countries and stablish a great relationship with them.

These are the main conditions to join us in the festival

The festival is thought to be an exchange between different groups, so the host group provides accommodation as well as sustenance to other groups’ members during their stay. The host group offers accommodation in a school where the visiting group will have warm showers, three meals everyday (breakfast, lunch, dinner), etc. Here you have a more detailed list of conditions:

  • Groups must cover the travel expenses to Bermeo.
  • Groups will be responsible for making the arrangements to obtain the transport to Bermeo.
  • Groups will be composed by no more than thirty-five (35) members.
  • All components of the expedition must have some active participation or responsibility in the group.
  • Any expenses motivated by the bus’ use (accident, theft, damage, etc.) must be covered by the vehicle’s insurance.
  • Food and accommodation during the dates of the festival will be provided by the organizers.
  • Lodging will be in adapted schools, to festival’s choice depending on their possibilities.
  • If the group arrives before the date mentioned in the invitation or stays in Bermeo after the end of the invitation, expenses must be covered by the group itself.
  • Groups will have available necessary technical means (lights and megaphones) for main performances, which will allow an adequate performance of the programmes.
  • Groups will always perform with live music.
  • The instruments must be traditional and electronic instruments won’t be allowed.
  • All groups must prepare a program with a maximum duration of 60 minutes in 2 parts of 30 minutes.
  • All the members of the groups must wear their traditional costumes in all the performances.
  • All the garments of the costumes must have traditional character.
  • Most festivals organize any parade.
  • There are receptions offered by organizers or authorities in which there may be gifts exchange.
  • During the festivals, groups commit themselves not to make performances that have not been scheduled or authorised by the festivals’ organizations.
  • Groups cannot demand any remuneration for possible filming or recording in TV, Radio, etc.

Contact

So, if you are keen on joining us in our International Folk Festival and meeting our village, our culture and our people, Contact us!

E-mail: alkartasunadt@gmail.com
Tlf: (+34) 639 624 331

Received Visits

Since 1986, many groups from different places and cultures have taken part in the International Folk Festival organized by the group Alkartasuna Dantza Taldea and celebrated in Bermeo. These are the groups that have participated since then:

  • Grupo Etnográfico das Mariñas (Ferrol, Galiza).
    Esbart Dansaire Sant Marcal (Cerdenyola, Catalunya).
  • Grupo Etnográfico das Mariñas (Ferrol, Galiza).
  • Rancho Folklorico Terras de Camba (Maceira, Portugal).
    Les Galibots (Charboniers, France).
  • Grupo de Danzas Amancer (Cadiz, Andalucía).
  • Coros y Danzas Virgen del Rosario (Trujillo, Extremadura),
    Wolstengruppe (Nedau, Austria).
  • Il Guliari (Minturno, Italia),
    Grupo Municipal de Folklore (Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canarias).
  • Grupo Folklorico Santiago (Sabiñanigo, Aragón).
  • De Besembinders (Zonhoven, Belgium),
    Gaddas Folklore Dernegi (Istanbul, Turkey).
  • Coros y Danzas de la Salud (Espinardo, Murcia),
    Agrupación Aturuxo (Santiago, Galiza).
  • Colegio Folklorum (Belgrade, Serbia)
  • Jaro Folklore (Praga, Czech Republic),
    Zestop Pieni Polonyn (Crezwon, Poland).
  • Grupo Tradizioni Popular (Suelli, Italy),
    Asociata Folklorica Fir de Dor (Targoviste, Romania).
  • Rancho Folklorico Terras de Cambra (Macieira, Portugal),
    Folk Dance Group (Sivek, Bulgaria).
  • Esbart Dansaire Fontcoberta (Banyoles, Catalunya),
    Grupo Folklorico Ivillici Cominesi (Via Latina, Italy).
  • Lituania.
  • Loagrafikos Silogos Ginekon Neas Zixnis (Serres, Greece).
  • Grupo de Bailes Populares Iar (A Coruña, Galiza),
    Akud Mirce Acev (Skopje, Macedonia).
  • Ballet Folklorico Vientos de Chile (Satiago, Chile),
    Grupo de Danses L'alter (Corbera, València).
  • Grupo Folklorico Garabato Unilibre (Baranaquilla, Colombia),
    Grupo Folklorico Xinglar (Zaragoza, Aragón),
    Nadbruchamka Folk Dance Group (Ternopil, Ukraine).
  • Grupo Folklorico Xirandola (Bandeira, Galiza),
    Ballet Folklorico Aires de Andratx (Andratx, Mallorca),
    Famagusta Folk Dance Group (Famagusta, Cyprus).
  • Grupo Folklorico Balonce delle Marche (Cingoli, Italy),
    Grupo Folklorico Xinglar (Zaragoza, Aragón).
  • Zespol y Tanka Ludowego (Ostroleka, Poland),
    Asambul Folkloric Nuntasii Biholorui (oradea, Romania).
  • Esbart Dansaire Fontcoberta (Banyoles, Catalunya),
    Besiktas Halk Egitim Merkezi (Istanbul, Turkey),
    Huayra Mujoy (Jujuy, Argentina).
  • Salmorena Losareña (Losar de la Vera, Extremadura),
    Adjarian Song and Dance (Batumi Georigia),
    Magisterial Huehuecoyotl (Durango, Mexico).
  • Nuestras Raíces (Rosario, Argentina),
    Danses Tradicionales (borriana, València).
  • Song and Dances (Omsk, Siberia),
    Le Ballet Exotique (Martinique, --France--).
  • Ballet Folklorico GUstavo Vaqueras (Zacatecas, Mexico),
    Rancho Folklorico Nossa Senhora (Pedroso, Portugal).
  • Tradictia Folkloric Group (Irkuts, Siberia),
    Aires del Moral (Moral de Calatrava, Ciudad Real).
  • Agrupacion Folklorica San Cristobal (Las Palmas, Gran Canaria),
    Lous Reoules (La Réole, France),
    Bireun Seudati (pelita Harapan, Indonesia).
  • Colla Puig d'en Valls (Santa Eulalia, Eivissa),
    Grupo Etnográfico das Mariñas (Ferrol, Galiza),
    Erguvan Folk Dance Esamble (Bursa, Turkey).
  • Grupo Folkloricu Prau LLeron (Mieres, Asturies),
    Kud Mileneko Stoijkovic (Klicevac, Serbia),
    Ballet Folklorico Bio Bio (Concepción, Chile).
  • Asociacion Cultural L'Aljama (betera, València),
    Aria di Casa Nostra (Alatri, Italy),
    Comapañía de Danza Pilahtli Toyolotl (México DF, Mexico).
  • Nuntas Bihorului (Oradea, Romania),
    Conjunto de Danza Popular (Yunost, Russia),
    Los Xustos, Agrupación Folclórica Asturiana (Xixón, Asturies).
  • Ballet Folklórico Rumicani (Rio Segundo, Argentina)
    Asociación Folklórica Flor Canaria del Atlántico (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canarias)
  • Academia de Danzas Folklóricas Francisco de León (Cocle, Panamá)
    Grupo de Danzas Aires de La Rioja (La Rioja, Logroño)
    Ballet Folklórico Toyolotl Maseua (Ciudad de México, México)