Santo Tomás Bilbao 2023: keys to enjoy this day with the family

On 21 December Bilbao hosts a new edition of Santo Tomás Eguna, a great opportunity to get to know the animals and products of the baserri, taste a talo with chorizo or take part in some of the children’s activities promoted by the event organisers.

The Santo Tomás Fair is a traditional celebration that takes place in different towns in the Basque Country. It is a popular festival that revolves around a rural market where typical products are sold and a wide variety of cultural activities take place.

Plans with children

Market

Located in El Arenal, it will have 215 stalls selling fresh produce: meat, preserves, fruit, vegetables, milk, honey, bread, cakes, plants, etc.

Livestock

The animals on display on this day are usually domestic animals such as chickens or pigs, without forgetting cows, oxen, sheep or goats, among others.

Folklore

The bertsolaris (poets who improvise verses in Basque), trikitilaris (accordionists), txalapartaris (percussionists) and other traditional sounds provide the soundtrack to this festival with lively performances in the streets.

Children’s workshops

Throughout the day, Bilbao offers a multitude of games and activities aimed at the youngest children: craft workshops, games to learn about life on the farm, caring for the vegetable garden and animals, etc.

Food

The typical dish of this festival is talo (corn cake) with chorizo, although you can also find it filled with chistorra sausage, cheese, pork loin or blood sausage.

History

The origin of this fair dates back to the 19th century, when the baserritarras used to go down to the city to pay the rent for their land and take the opportunity to sell their products to the locals for Christmas dinner.

How to get there

To get to Plaza Nueva and El Arenal, which are located in the historic centre of the capital, there are several public transport options. You will find train and metro stops nearby (Abando and Casco Viejo), tram stops (Arriaga) and bus stops (both the city bus, Bilbobus, and Bizkaibus). On this day, we advise against the use of the car as the streets are full of people and it is very difficult to find a parking space.

Practical information

• Place: El Arenal. Bilbao
• Date: Thursday, 21 December 2023
• Time: from 9.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.