Fêtes de Bayonne and fireworks. Origin: The first "Fêtes de Bayonne" called "The big summer festival" took place on July 13, 1932. It was instigated by a group of friends belonging to the Aviron Bayonnais rugby team. They wanted to create in Bayonne, celebrations similar to those of San Fermin in Pamplona, Spain (famous for their Running of the Bulls). Fêtes de Bayonne The fêtes de Bayonne is a feria consisting in a series of festivals in the Northern Basque Country in the town of Bayonne, France. The festival lasts 5 days and always starts the Wednesday before the first Sunday of August.
San Fermín and a different "encaste" (sub-breed) of bull appears each day. The event begins at 8 a.m. when a first firecracker is lit to announce the release of the bulls from their corral. Before the year 1924 it started at 6 and at 7 between 1924 and 1974. Runners gather earlier at the beginning of the itinerary to ask for the protection of the Saint by singing a chant three times before a small statue of San Fermín which has been placed in a raised niche in a wall: “"To San Fermin we ask to be our patron saint and to