Venue Rules - Expo Idaho
Expo Idaho FAQ’s
- Are outside food and drink allowed?
- NO
- Are empty water bottles allowed?
- One (1) empty, refillable water bottle per person is allowed. There are filling stations inside and outside the Expo grounds.
- No disposable water bottles are allowed
- Are coolers allowed?
- YES, if they are empty
- Are pets allowed?
- No pets allowed. Service animals welcome.
- Can I leave the venue and come back
- YES, re-entry is allowed.
- Will tickets be sold at the door?
- Yes! Tickets will be sold at the main ticket booths all day, both Saturday and Sunday
- Is the venue handicap accessible?
- Yes. There are dedicated areas at both Expo stages for handicap/wheelchair seating.
- No wheelchairs are provided by the venue. Please bring your own wheelchair or mobility devices.
Venue Rules - Idaho Central Arena
- No outside food or drink (empty water bottles ok)
- No weapons
- No firecrackers or noisemakers
- No bags larger than a small purse (please review the bag policy here – Idaho Central Arena is a clear-bag venue)
- No photography or videography equipment (but taking pictures on your personal smartphone is ok)
What should I eat and drink during Jaialdi?
Come hungry! No trip to Jaialdi is complete without sampling the rich flavors of Basque-American cuisine. Learn more on the Food & Drink page.
When is Jaialdi? Is it always in Boise?
Jaialdi is held every five years. It began in 1987 as a one-time event but became a recurring celebration due to overwhelming support and enthusiasm.
Jaialdi 2025’s dates are July 29 – August 3, 2025, and the following festival will be in 2030.
Yes, Jaialdi is always in Boise! While festivals celebrating Basque culture take place in nearly every town in the Basque Country and in hundreds of cities across the global Basque diaspora, Jaialdi itself is a uniquely Boise event and is deeply rooted in Boise, which is home to one of the most concentrated Basque communities in the United States. Every Jaialdi has taken place in Boise since its inception.
What is the Basque Block in Boise?
The Basque Block is a cultural hub in downtown Boise, comprised of a section of Grove Street between 5th and 6th streets. It features the Basque Center (the clubhouse of Basque Foundation, Boise’s Basque club), a fronton to play Basque pilota games, the Basque Museum & Cultural Center including a restored Basque boardinghouse, and Basque restaurants. The Basque Block is the site of several festival events during Jaialdi including live music, dancing, and food and drink vendors.
Who are the Basques?
The Basques are an indigenous ethnic group of Southwest Europe. The Basque homeland, Euskal Herria, is a region straddling the border between modern-day Spain and France in the Pyrenees Mountains. The Basques speak a unique language called Euskara, which is linguistically unrelated to any other language in Europe and has no known origin. For centuries, Basques have been explorers, sailors, and tradespeople with a strong tradition of traveling far from their homeland.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many Basques migrated to the Americas, including the western United States. Some came during the Gold Rush, while others followed work in the booming sheep industry. Most Basque immigrants arrived with little English and few resources, often taking hard, isolated jobs as sheepherders in states like Idaho, Nevada, California, and Oregon. They built strong, close-knit communities centered around boardinghouses, where they could speak their language, share meals, and help each other adjust to life in America.
Though fewer Basques arrived after the 1950s, their legacy remains strong in parts of the American West. Cities like Boise, Idaho continue to celebrate Basque culture today through festivals like Jaialdi and the preservation of cultural districts like the Basque Block in downtown Boise. Basque American culture also remains strong in many communities Nevada, California, Utah, and Colorado.
Learn more at: https://basquemuseum.eus/visit/who-are-the-basques/
How many people come to Jaialdi?
It’s tough to accurately estimate because some events, such as those on the Basque Block, do not require tickets.
Organizers expect between 30,000 and 40,000 attendees for Jaialdi 2025, making it the largest Basque festival in the United States and one of the largest in the world.
What is Dantzaldi?
Dantzaldi is a large indoor concert and dance held on Saturday night of the festival. For the first time, it will be hosted at Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise, featuring a mix of Basque folk, rock, and fusion music.
Who runs Jaialdi?
Jaialdi is entirely run and staffed by unpaid volunteers, including all festival chairs and organizers!
Some volunteers are retired or work part-time, but the majority of volunteers have a full-time day job and give their nights and weekends to helping plan and run the festival, because we are passionate about sharing Basque heritage at such a cultural event.
Is there a soccer game this year?
Though the 2015 Basque Soccer Friendly took place very close to the last Jaialdi (2015) festival dates, this fun and exciting event was planned and organized by a different group that was separate from Jaialdi. We don’t know of any soccer games planned for 2025, but interested fans can visit their website at https://www.basquesoccerfriendly.com/ to learn more.
Can I use my old 2020 tickets for 2025 events?
Please note that all Jaialdi 2020 tickets were refunded by request in 2020, and only tickets purchased in 2025 are eligible for Jaialdi 2025 events.
How much do tickets cost?
Some Jaialdi events, like all programming on the Basque Block, are free! For ticketed events, tickets must be purchased through the venue that is hosting the event.
Visit the Tickets page for more details.
🚨 NOTE ON SPORTS NIGHT TICKET PRICING: Sports Night is nearly sold out! Ticketmaster, the ticketing platform for Idaho Central Arena, allows resale of tickets by people who purchased them. There is no restriction on the price that the original seller can list the resale tickets for, so you may see higher-priced “Verified Resale Ticket” types listed as options for Sports Night. This is a Ticketmaster policy, and unfortunately, neither Jaialdi nor Idaho Central Arena can control resale ticket pricing.