San Inazio Basque Festival

Boise’s annual Basque festival aligns with the July 31 feast day of Saint Ignatius de Loyola, or San Inazio, the Patron Saint of the Basques, which holds cultural and spiritual significance for the Basque community. Saint Ignatius, a Basque soldier who later became a priest and theologian, was born in the Basque province of Gipuzkoa in the 15th century and is known for being the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit order). In Basque tradition, festivals often center around a saint and their feast day. While San Inazio is a secular festival, we do hold a mass to honor the Basque patron saint.