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Basques from Winnemucca, Nevada are facing a challenge; but a good one−the Convention Center where they have been celebrating their rendezvouses lately is becoming too small for their festivals Louis Mendiola, president of the Club for the last two years, told EuskalKultura.com. “We wanted to have some wood choppers –he said− but we couldn’t bring any and, in any case, having wood choppers so close to the kids might be a little bit risky. We’re looking to move to a larger venue and I guess that’s a good thing!” Hundreds of people from all over the state attended this year’s festival.

Winnemucca, NV. Louis Mendiola, president of the Winnemucca Basque Club, is happy with how things went in the last edition of their festival, celebrated this past weekend, especially because they fill the goal of having “always something for everyone.” And that is kind of true, since this Euskal Etxea established in 1947 makes an effort to bring “not just Basque people, but anybody that wants to have a good time.” Proof of that is, for example, the fact that, at night, people not only danced to Basque tunes –in this case brought by the always great Jean Flesher Band−, but also to Rock, Country, and Pop songs performed by local band Decoy. “We had them last year too and it worked out great,” Things being so, JFB and Decoy split the stage time evenly.

Another event that is becoming more popular and is helping draw non-Basque people too is the Race to the Winnemucca Basque 5K, which attracted a little less than 150 participants in this third edition. “We had a great turnout. And it is a very nice event because youngsters and people that, otherwise, might not be interested in the festival feel excited about it too.” Is it also worth to mention that, every year, the organization gave a portion of the revenue to an association and, this year, the money is going to go to the Joshua Rose Memorial Scholarship, in care of Lowry High School. The young Rose, active member of the club and a beloved youngster in the community, passed away last year.

A larger venue

Among the events the Club included in the program –dances by no less than six different groups: three from Reno, Nevada and three local; weight lifting games; concerts; a great parade involving a lot of sectors that work in the town; breakfast, lunch, and dinner…− there weren't the aizkolaris or wood choppers performance, that Mendiola and the rest of members were trying to put together, for the amusement of the attendees. “But we couldn’t bring any and, in any case, having wood choppers so close to the kids might be a little bit risky.” Now they’re looking for a larger place to organize their festival and, as the president told this bulletin, the Town Hall is planning on building a new park that might end up being the right place to host these events.