The Fiestas de la Virgen Blanca (in Basque: Andre Maria Zuriaren Jaiak) have been celebrated every year, since 1884. It is held on 5 August, but the celebrations begin the day before, on the 4th, and end on 9 August. It honours the patron saint of the city, and features a programme of special events, activities and free open-air concerts.
The actual festivity starts at six o'clock in the afternoon with the txupinazo and Celedón's (a rag doll with an umbrella) descent. Once Celedón reaches a balcony in the square, it is replaced by a human Celedón who then crosses the square on foot with some difficulty amongst the crowds. On arriving to the balcony of the Church of San Miguel, Celedón greets the crowds below and wishes everyone a happy celebration. On the morning of 5 August, the Blusas and the Neskak offer flowers to the Virgen Blanca. On 7 August the Children's Day is celebrated. The little Celedón or Celedón txiki descends in the same square as the first day, and later, Celedón txiki and neska txiki wish a happy celebration to all the children in Vitoria, from the Town Hall. On 10 August at one o'clock in the morning Celedón ascends and this marks the end of the Virgen Blanca Festivities.
Blusas and Neskak
A donkey race is organized on 25 July in anticipation of the Virgen Blanca festivity
These are groups of boys blusas and girls (neskak) from the city, who take an active part throughout the Virgen Blanca festivities. Most groups are made up of both Blusas and Neskak. These groups of friends, get together and take part in a parade from the 'Plaza Nueva' to the bullring every day. They also organize different activities around the city centre. All groups have their own identity and are given one of the following names:
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's official residency. The municipality—which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around—is the largest in the Basque Country, with a total area of 276.81 square kilometres (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 253,093. The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called vitorianos or gasteiztarrak, while traditionally they are dubbed babazorros.
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Celedón is a character central to the Virgen Blanca Festivities of Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque province of Álava in Spain. He is portrayed wearing a beret and dressed in a traditional blouse, always carrying an umbrella.
The Virgen Blanca is the patron saint of the Spanish city Vitoria-Gasteiz. Its festivity is celebrated on 5 August, commonly known as Andre Maria Zuriaren jaiak or las fiestas de la Blanca.
Plaza de la Virgen Blanca is one of the oldest meeting points in Vitoria-Gasteiz in the Basque Country of Spain. In the middle of it there is the monument to La batalla de Vitoria a battle which took place in the city in 1813 during the Napoleonic wars.
Blusas are individuals in the autonomous Basque region in Spain who dress in the traditional clothes of the region and attend events in Vitoria-Gasteiz such as the Virgen Blanca Festivities. The blusas assemble in groups called cuadrillas, and their main role is to provide entertainment at these events.
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