ASTERO
Basque Businesses Earn Best of Bay Area Awards
We are very happy to share some wonderful news from the Bay Area! Zazpi Basque Cultural Center – Restaurant & Banquet Services and Pierre’s Auto Body were chosen as Best of the Bay Area at a ceremony held last weekend! The Basque Cultural Center won two awards, one for the Best Event Space/Venue and the other as the Best Wedding Venue. Pierre’s Auto Body owned and operated by Pierre Etcharren, and his daughters Valerie and Evelyne, won best in Automobile Service out of five finalists. On behalf of everyone at NABO, our sincerest congratulations on these accomplishments! Quite a feat in a place as big as the Bay Area for sure! Zorionak Deneri! We are also helping spread the news of Zazpi’s, the Cultural Center’s restaurant, new website. Check it out!
62nd Annual National Basque Festival in Elko
And yes, hard to believe but the Fourth of July is next week! That means it’s time for the 62nd Annual National Basque Festival, hosted every year on the Fourth of July weekend by the Elko Euzkaldunak Basque Club. The festivities begin on Thursday, July 2nd at the Ogi Deli for a Pre-Kickoff Party starting at 4:30pm. The event will include dancing by the Elko Arinak Basque Dancers, and live music by Mercedes Mendive. On Friday the 3rd, join the fun at the Elko Basque Clubhouse at 5pm for the official festival Kick-Off. This event includes more Basque dancing, rural sport exhibitions, lots of good food and beverages too. On Saturday the 4th, there will be a Golf Tournament in the morning and a public dance in the evening with music provided by Amerikanuak, Mercedes Mendive, and Get Down Entertainment. There will also be a break for everyone to enjoy Elko County’s firework show. Sunday’s festivities begin at 9am with handball at the local Fronton at the City Park, a Sheepherder’s Bread Contest, at the clubhouse, followed by mass at 11am. After mass there will be a picnic lunch, more Basque dancing, rural sports, and other contests for all to enjoy. For complete information, including covers and meal prices, click here.
2026 NABO Cenventnion and Southern California Annual Picnic
Fourth of July weekend also marks the Southern California Basque Club’s annual picnic. This year they are celebrating their 80th anniversary in conjunction with the 2026 NABO Convention. With the NABO meeting taking place on Friday the 3rd, there will be a Meet & Greet on Thursday night at the Centro Basco at 6pm, so please RSVP to Mayi Petracek, or here. The NABO meeting will take place on Friday beginning at 8am at the Chino Fairgrounds. At 3pm the NABO handball semi-finals will take place at the Centro Basco followed by a performance by the Oinkari Basque Dancers, and Patxaranga Boise. Dinner will be served at 6pm followed by a public dance to the tunes of Izen Gabe.
On Saturday, July 4th, the day will begin with a cash Mus Tournament at the Centro Basco. If you would like to participate, please RSVP here. NABO’s annual Txerriki Contest will take place Saturday afternoon from 1-4pm at the Chino Fairgrounds. Anyone wishing to participate should contact Valerie Arrechea. There will be more handball at the Centro Basco at 3pm followed by the SoCal Basque Club 80th Anniversary Dinner and Udaleku 2026 Final Performance also at the fairgrounds.
On Sunday, the festivities will begin at 11am with mass con celebrated by Aita Antton Egiguren and Father Eugene. NABO’s Gateau Basque Judging will take place at noon. There is no advanced registration required, and any flavor of Gateau Basque is eligible, it just needs to be “identifiably a Gateau Basque.” Again, if you have questions, please email Valerie Arrechea. The afternoon will also include vendors, face painting, and raffles. At 12:30pm the SoCal youth dancers will perform. A Basque lunch will be served at 1:30pm followed by performances by the Multi-Club Klika and more dancing by the Chino Basque Club Gauden Bat, and Oinkari Basque Dancers. Lukainka sandwiches will go on sale at 6pm and then there will be a public dance to Amerikanuak. To RSVP to events, or purchase meal tickets, please click here. Pre-sale discounts are also available so don’t miss out!
6/25/2026
