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Less than 3 months. Idaho is now counting down to Jaialdi, while Boise is getting ready for the big Basque festival, a TV crew from Channel 7 came to the Basque Country.  The team included Xanti Alcelay, born in Boise whose father is from Oñati. Who could ask for a better guide?  For eight days they toured the country broadcasting live from Donostia, Bilbao, Gasteiz and Gernika.  They also interviewed players from athletic and Lehendakari Urkullu who will attend Jaialdi in July. 

Donostia-San Sebastian.  A television crew from Idaho’s Channel 7 has been touring the Basque Country last week, sharing customs, places and the history of the Basque Country to get ready for Jaialdi that will take place in July.

The Basque festival, held every five years, is one Idaho’s 2015 events and even though the Basque community is very well-known there, the TV station, KTVB, wanted to take it a step further showing the Basques’ country of origin.

Journalists Mark Johnson and Brian Holms were the directors of “Basque Country Live Tour,” that broadcast live from various parts of Euskal Herria.  The team also had a secret weapon in Xanti Alcelay, Basque-American, son of Jesus Alcelay, originally from Oñati.  It was Alcelay’s family who greeted the team upon their arrival in the Basque Country.

[The hunter becomes the hunted: Xanti Alcelay, cameraman for KTVB.com was interviewed by local media in Oñati (photo@KTVBBrian)]

The team showed how txakoli is made as well as cheese from Idiazabal, the atmosphere at sagardotegis, the market in Gernika, Jai-Alai….They also interviewed Lehendakari Urkullu that confirmed his attendance at Jaialdi, and various players for Athletic who will play against Tijuana on July 29 in Boise.  They also interviewed an Athletic player, Ander Egiluz, who grew up in Idaho and whose mother, Michelle Alzola, is from Mountain Home. 

More videos available here.