Boise's Beloved 'San Inazio Festival' Returns This Weekend

Few things say Boise more than hikes, floating the river, skiing on the slopes, craft beer, complaining about traffic, dog lovers, and the basque block. If you've ever been downtown Boise you've seen the crowds around community events and the fun-loving vibe that just comes with strolling through the popular, cultural block dedicated to the Basque people and their culture.

It's that time again--for the return of one of Boise's most cherished weekend festivals: San Inazio.

San Inazio or Saint Ignatius, in English, is a celebration of basque culture here in Boise but universally a celebration of Saint Ignatius, the "patron saint" of the Basque provinces in Spain. Founder of the Society of Jesus in the Catholic Church (better known as 'The Jesuits'), the saint's impact on faith and culture is massive-- fun fact, the late Pope Francis was a Jesuit meaning that he belonged to the order of Saint Ignatius.

You don't need to be basque, Catholic, or anything at all to attend the popular weekend festival which kicks off today, July 31st, and runs through the weekend.

Expect some road closures--6th Street is closed between Main Street and Front Street and Grove Street will be closed between 5th Street and Capitol Boulevard.

The weekend-long celebration begins on Friday at 5:00 p.m. and will usually run until about 10:00 p.m. or later in the street. Expect a lot of extra foot and bicycle traffic, full of folks having food, tapas, drinks and more on the street.

Don't forget about the live music and dancing as well!

If you do one thing this weekend--check out the cultural experience that is Boise's San Inazio Festival.