The Show of Arms of Hondarribia takes place every 8th September and represents the annual renewal of the vows which were made to the Virgin of Guadalupe in appreciation for the end of the siege to which the city was subjected in 1638. These celebrations represent a deeply felt and lived cultural manifestation by the people of Hondarribia.

During this special event, thousands of participants, divided up into 20 different groups, roam the streets and squares, surrounded by rifle shots, drums, “pifanos”( or fifes), etc. Among the groups we find the Atxeros, whose members wear spectacular hats made of sheep's skin. This impressive group leads the way for the Show of Arms, followed by the remaining troops, made up of “txibilitos” or little flutes and drums, as well as hundreds of fusiliers. Throughout the procession, and until all the troops meet up in the Plaza de Armas, one can witness the magnificent discharge of gunshots.

The traditional Show of Arms has its origin in the “War of the Thirty Years”, during which Hondarribia underwent one of the most famous sieges of its history. During the siege, two Hondarribian women took the statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe from the chapel to the Parish Church , where everybody in the town made a vow that if they were victorious, they would always commemorate that day with a festival and they would dedicate it to the Virgin.