Festivals

Film, theatre, music, horror..

San Sebastián hosts festivals to suit all tastes.
Choose the one that suits you best!

DFERIA THEATRE FAIR

San Sebastian, pure theatre

dFERIA 2024 festivales

The summer culture season opens with dFERIA. Theatres and other public spaces in San Sebastián raise their curtains to present the Theatre Fair, a not-to-be-missed nationally renowned rendezvous for performing arts enthusiasts and professionals.


HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL

Solidarity through film

cartel festivalDDHH

Every April, San Sebastián repeats its commitment to society and doubles its efforts to foster solidarity with the Human Rights Film Festival. Taking cinema as its backdrop, with exhibitions and talks, the event helps to raise citizen awareness of the serious problems and realities that abound in our society.


Dock of the Bay, from 2nd to 7th May

Musical documentary film festival with talks and concerts.

cartel dock of the bay

Dock of the Bay is a music documentary film festival that combines screenings with talks and concerts in different parts of the city. A real treat for music and film lovers.


JAZZALDIA - INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

To the warmth of Jazz

Festivals in San Sebastian

In the second fortnight in July, San Sebastián taps its feet to the rhythm of the finest jazz. Great musicians like James Brown, Liza Minnelli, Bobby McFerrin, Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson and B.B. King have all taken to the city’s beaches, theatres, squares and auditoriums at one time or another to delight audiences at this world-famous event.

ACCESSIBILITY

Information on the accessibility to the Jazz Festival


CLASSICAL MUSIC FORTNIGHT

The classical music fest

Festivals in San Sebastian

In August San Sebastián hosts a hugely traditional classical music event: the Classical Music Fortnight. The Kursaal Centre, Santa María and San Vicente churches, the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and other stages throughout the city open their doors to fantastic international symphony orchestras and soloists. Despite its name, the ‘Quincena’ actually brings almost a month of excellent music; it is the oldest festival of its kind in Spain (on-going since 1939) and one of the longest running in Europe.

ACCESSIBILITY

Information on the accessibility to the Musical Fortnight


BOGA BOGA FESTIBALA

A new independent music festival with Donostia's DNA

boga boga festibala 23

This new independent music festival is presented with an original proposal and the spirit of San Sebastian. Emblematic places of the city will serve as a stage for emerging bands and international artists. During the day you can enjoy free music in the gardens of Ondarreta on the Dabadaba Arena stage, as well as a clothing market.

In addition to these free access proposals on the beach, the main idea of the festival is to extend the music to different stages of the city. In this way, there will be a program with international artists at the Miramar Palace and Chillida Leku, and once the night is over, the music will continue in the city's clubs (Dabadaba, DOKA, Altxerri, Bukowski) until dawn.


SAN SEBASTIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

A film city

Zinemaldia

Festivals in San Sebastian

Big stars and young directors. The entire national and international film panoply flocks to San Sebastián every September to attend the most cosmopolitan event of the year: Zinemaldia, or the International Film Festival, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe alongside the Festival de Cannes and the Venice Mostra.

ACCESSIBILITY

Information on the accessibility to the Film Festival

 

Richard Gere

Julia Roberts

Dustin Hoffman


Argiartean

A festival of light-art and live music

argiartean festibalak

Argiartean is a brand new luminous art festival to dazzle you with its distinctive "light-art" components, its huge projections at nightfall on a white church wall, and live performances.


DONOSSKINO

San Sebastian Short Film Festival

donosskino

The seventh edition of Donosskino - San Sebastian Short Film Festival will be held between 11 and 14 October 2023, at the Teatro Principal.


HORROR AND FANTASY FILM FESTIVAL

Halloween at its cultural best

Loquillo

Alaska

Mario Vaquerizo

In late October and early November, the theatres and streets of San Sebastian turn into an improvised horror film set to host the Horror and Fantasy Film Festival. Concerts and exhibitions accompany the movies on the programme.



Literaktum

Literature festival

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The Literaktum literature festival turns Donostia/San Sebastián into "the city of words" for two weeks. Every year this letters fiesta brings the people of Donostia into contact with leading national and foreign writers. There is room for all kinds of literature: narrative, poetry, essays, plays, journalism, performances, music, films, illustration, gastronomy, comics ...

The festival has a theme every year, as the common denominator of all the activities scheduled (talks, presentations, exhibitions, workshops, screenings etc.). The theme for this year's Literaktum festival is "Geographies of love".

More information

You can find more information about our festivals on the Donostia Kultura website.



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