BOISE, Idaho — The coronavirus pandemic continues to interrupt popular social gatherings. On Monday, an event that’s only hosted every five years was also pushed - Jaialdi, the world-wide Basque celebration hosted in Boise.
So, what will happen to the popular festival and what will be different in 2021? To find out, we spoke with Julie Hahn, the director of communications for Jaialdi and a local business owner on what to expect next year.
Note: The interview has been edited for clarity.
Joe: I think a lot of people knew it was coming but what's the announcement today?
Julie Hahn: So, the announcement is that we are postponing Jaialdi 2020 and moving into 2021. So the new dates are July, 27 through August 1, 2021. A lot of people who come over from the Basque Country, which is located in both Spain and France, those two places have been pretty hard hit as well. So, we didn't want to have anybody have to make that decision. We attract about 30,000 people. So, it's a big deal and it's a heavy lift to move it but we think it's the right thing to do.
Jaialdi also means a boost in business for Basque restaurants, so how will they be affected? Kevin Settles, the owner of Bardenay, told KTVB that of course there is some disappointment, but Jaialdi being pushed a year isn't a backbreaker.
Settles: Jaialdi is always the busiest day we will have for the next five years. We set a record every year, but it's one day it's a lot of work, and it's not the revenue maker for the year for us. Our long-term viability isn't dependent upon Jaialdi. It's just one more thing that makes it fun to be on the block and from that standpoint, we'll miss it.
Joe: What's the historical legacy now that it is going to be moved to an “off-year?"
Hahn: As you know, Jaialdi only happens every five years so it's not like we're going to shift, and have the next one will be in 2026. The next one will still be in 2025. This is just an unfortunate circumstance, but we're making the best of it.
Joe: It seems like next year's celebration will be even more exciting now?
Hahn: Yeah, and that's kind of the feedback we're getting on social media so far, everybody has been overwhelmingly kind and positive about it, so we will be refunding people's tickets, and then we will be reselling tickets. I don't have a date yet for when that's going to happen, but tickets will go on sale for Jaialdi 2021.
Settles: An Irish pub sometimes their whole year revolves around St. Patty's Day. And for us, we're lucky enough down here there's enough going on that we're not that's not our big thing that helps us get the cash we need for the year going forward it's just one more thing that makes us proud to be on the Basque Block. We got another year to plan to be ready for this thing.
Joe: Are there any plans to do some type of virtual reality?
Hahn: We don't have plans to do virtual Jaialdi. However, I did notice on Twitter that one of our followers is planning on doing one. So, there might be private smaller groups. Maybe people will be raising their Kalimotxo via Zoom.
Exact details are being worked out, but again, Jaialdi will be held July 27 through August 2021. Organizers are hopeful that all venues and vendors originally scheduled will join in 2021.
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