The activity begins on the evening of January 19th at the Plaza de la Constitution and winds through the old city for the next 24 hours (there will be a brief break in the morning around dawn--just enough time to throw back a brandy and some churros). The different corps of marchers represent the many gastronomic societies in San Sebastian, and the competition is fierce.
"As with many Spanish traditions, the origin of La Tamborrada is a bit twisted. It appears as though in 1720 a baker was filling water barrels from a fountain near the Iglesia de San Vicente. While filling the barrels he began to sing, and a group of young girls passing by started banging on the barrels as accompaniment. A crowd started to gather and this impromptu jam session evolved into the spectacle you see today."
I was in the home of Hur's parent's flat when the festivities began. Alfonso (top picture) served a tasty dinner, we had our baker's hats and drum sticks at the table. We entered into the fun and had a great time celebrating Basque culture. The old men stayed up til 1:30am. The younger people went out for the rest of the night.
When we woke up the next morning, we went out for cafe con leche and a chocolate croissant around 10am. The sound of the music and drumming could still be heard.
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