Wroclaw's Tamborrada at Orbita [VIDEO]

Each year on 20 January, the streets of San Sebastian are filled with parades that use drums, barrels and wooden planks to celebrate the city's patron day. Tamborrada is an enjoyable tradition that brings together both young and old.

Wroclaw's Tamborrada was joined by children and young people from Wroclaw and the immediate vicinity: Długołęka, Miękinia, Wołów, Środa Śląska and Trzebnica. They performed "San Sebastian March" and "WrocLove" on drums, rattles and other percussion instruments of their own making. They formed Wroclaw's largest orchestra.

Wrocław's Tamborrada is inspired by the largest Basque festivity. Together with Wroclaw, the capital of the Basque Country is taking over as the European Capital of Culture this year. "They are now becoming two leading European cities: European Capitals of Culture. We are sending you greetings from Wroclaw on your day!" said Wroclaw's Mayor Rafał Dutkiewicz just minutes ahead of Tamborrada's performance. "We have a gift for you, we want to play and sing with you," he added.

At high noon in San Sebastian, children performed their part in Tamborrada, which continued throughout the day. Despite the distance between the two cities, Wroclaw performers connected with Basque country by satellite to celebrate together. As a result, young Basque performers could witness how their festivities are celebrated in Wroclaw.

Wroclaw is the only city to celebrate Tamborrada hand in hand with San Sebastian.

Wroclaw's Tamborrada is organised by: Wroclaw Centre for Social Development, Fundacja Utalentowani and the Office for Foreign Cooperation. The event was joined by police and military orchestras: the Representative Land Forces Orchestra in Wroclaw and the Representative Orchestra of the Provincial Police Headquarters. The festivities also featured: Dziubek Band, Mażoretki Trzebnickie, tap dancers from "Wroclawska Stepownia", children from the Fundacja Kierunek Przygoda and "Bel Canto" Choir from Primary School No. 17.

The first time Tamborrada arrived in Wroclaw was on 30 April in Plac Nowy Targ, when 1,600 participants, including children and young people, joined the festivities. This is how they celebrated: