Festivals

Film, theatre, music, horror...

San Sebastián hosts festivals to suit all tastes.
Choose the one that suits you best!

DFERIA THEATRE FAIR

San Sebastian, pure theatre

The summer culture season opens with dFERIA. Theatres and other public spaces in San Sebastián raise their curtains to present the Theatre Fair, a not-to-be-missed nationally renowned rendezvous for performing arts enthusiasts and professionals.

HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL

Solidarity through film

Every April, San Sebastián repeats its commitment to society and doubles its efforts to foster solidarity with the Human Rights Film Festival. Taking cinema as its backdrop, with exhibitions and talks, the event helps to raise citizen awareness of the serious problems and realities that abound in our society.

DOCK OF THE BAY

Musical documentary film festival with talks and concerts.

Dock of the Bay is a music documentary film festival that combines screenings with talks and concerts in different parts of the city. A real treat for music and film lovers.

JAZZALDIA - INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

To the warmth of Jazz

In the second fortnight in July, San Sebastián taps its feet to the rhythm of the finest jazz. Great musicians like James Brown, Liza Minnelli, Bobby McFerrin, Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson and B.B. King have all taken to the city’s beaches, theatres, squares and auditoriums at one time or another to delight audiences at this world-famous event.

CLASSICAL MUSIC FORTNIGHT

The classical music fest

In August San Sebastián hosts a hugely traditional classical music event: the Classical Music Fortnight. The Kursaal Centre, Santa María and San Vicente churches, the Victoria Eugenia Theatre and other stages throughout the city open their doors to fantastic international symphony orchestras and soloists. Despite its name, the ‘Quincena’ actually brings almost a month of excellent music; it is the oldest festival of its kind in Spain (on-going since 1939) and one of the longest running in Europe.

BOGA BOGA FESTIBALA

A new independent music festival with Donostia's DNA

This new independent music festival is presented with an original proposal and the spirit of San Sebastian. Emblematic places of the city will serve as a stage for emerging bands and international artists. During the day you can enjoy free music in the gardens of Ondarreta on the Dabadaba Arena stage, as well as a clothing market.

In addition to these free access proposals on the beach, the main idea of the festival is to extend the music to different stages of the city. In this way, there will be a program with international artists at the Miramar Palace and Chillida Leku, and once the night is over, the music will continue in the city's clubs (Dabadaba, DOKA, Altxerri, Bukowski) until dawn.

DANTZ FESTIVAL

International avant-garde and electronic music festival

Dantz is much more than an electronic music festival; it is a cultural brand and a project laboratory that explores the frontiers of creativity with no strings attached.

The festival becomes a portal to the impossible through electronic and avant-garde music, offering a rich and varied program that includes local artists as well as state and international talents.

Dantz fills the city with a wide range of cultural activities: DJ sets, participatory meetings, round tables, art exhibitions, film screenings, record markets and educational workshops. Each space comes alive with innovative proposals that encourage interaction and the exchange of ideas.

SAN SEBASTIAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

A film city

Big stars and young directors. The entire national and international film panoply flocks to San Sebastián every September to attend the most cosmopolitan event of the year: Zinemaldia, or the International Film Festival, one of the biggest of its kind in Europe alongside the Festival de Cannes and the Venice Mostra.

DONOSSKINO

San Sebastian Short Film Festival

The seventh edition of Donosskino - San Sebastian Short Film Festival will be held between 11 and 14 October 2023, at the Teatro Principal.

HORROR AND FANTASY FILM FESTIVAL

Halloween at its cultural best

In late October and early November, the theatres and streets of San Sebastian turn into an improvised horror film set to host the Horror and Fantasy Film Festival. Concerts and exhibitions accompany the movies on the programme.

LITERAKTUM

Literature festival

The Literaktum literature festival turns Donostia/San Sebastián into "the city of words" for two weeks. Every year this letters fiesta brings the people of Donostia into contact with leading national and foreign writers. There is room for all kinds of literature: narrative, poetry, essays, plays, journalism, performances, music, films, illustration, gastronomy, comics ...

The festival has a theme every year, as the common denominator of all the activities scheduled (talks, presentations, exhibitions, workshops, screenings etc.). The theme for this year's Literaktum festival is "Geographies of love".