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Joko Garbi, Pala, and Esku Pilota. The fronton of the Basque Cultural Center will be the epicenter of the activities to be held on Saturday and Sunday, February 14 and 15, during the celebration of the 33rd anniversary of Gure Euskal Etxea. Despite the fact that the official program reads that meal reservations must be prepaid by February 9, Valerie Arrechea, member of the Board of Directors, told EuskalKultura.com that “we are still accepting RSVPs – but the sooner we get them the better.” On Sunday, senior members Jose Mari Miura, Pedro Salaburu, and Kayet Sorhouet will be awarded with the San Francisco Bizi Emankorra distinction.

San Francisco, CA. “We’re expecting 6,542 people; it’s going to be big this year,” joked Arrechea in conversation with EuskalKultura.com. But the actual number of attendees the Club contemplates is no small feat either: around 1,000 people will join the celebration, over the weekend.

San Francisco Junior Pala players will kick off the festival with a game to start at 3:00 p.m., on Saturday, to be followed, an hour later, by Joko Garbi professionals Ximun Destaillac, Bruno Irachabal, Pantxo Lissar, and Eneko Sarratia. The four of them are members of Kapito Harri, a team from Uztaritze, in the Basque Country. At 5:00 p.m. the fronton will be filled with Esku Pilota, featuring Xabier Erostarbe, Francisco Jauregi, Unai Legarreta, Miguel Perez, Xabier Santxo, and Xabier Urbieta, all Euskadi Federation players. The tickets to see the last two professional games are $10 for adults and free for 17 and under and, as told by the organization, admission fees will go towards the development of youth pilota at the Basque Cultural Center.

After the sport events, the dinner is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. – a barbeque steak dinner that requires a reservation confirmation. People interested in attending should RSVP, as soon as possible, by sending an email to rsvp@sfbcc.us. Alphonse Acheritogaray will be in charge of the volunteering group of cooks. Ticket prices are $30 per adult or $10 for kids under 12. After the meal, there will be an open dantzaldi to the music of Mixpirarrak Taldea.

Plans for Sunday

On Sunday morning, the Women’s Club will be raising funds to benefit the children and youth of the Basque Cultural Center. They will be selling coffee, hot chocolate and croissants before Mass, to start at 10:00 a.m. The Eucharist will be celebrated by Father Lastiri and the Elgarrekin Choir, the Zazpiak Bat Dancers, and Klika and Txistu players will participate. Then, Jose Mari Miura, Pedro Salaburu, and Kaiyet Sorhouet will be awarded with the San Francisco Bizi Emankorra (productive life) distinction.

“We are awarding them because they have been helping and supporting the Basque Cultural Center for so many years, both as members of the Board of Directors and as volunteers,” explained Arrechea. Salaburu and Miura are natives of Elizondo, in Nafarroa, and Sorhouet was born in Arnegi, Lower Navarre. The three of them arrived in the US during the 60’s.

Barbeque rack of lamb will be served for lunch at 1:00 p.m., for those who got tickets on time. The prices are $30 per adult and $10 for kids under 12. After the meal, the festival will come to an end with Joko Garbi and Esku Pilota games, at 4:00 and 5:0 p.m. respectively. Then the general Basque festival will continue at the Center.