What happens at the Haro Wine Festival?

It features a Batalla de Vino (Battle of Wine) and youth bullfights. The Wine Festival takes place on June 29, the day of the patron saint San Pedro. The day begins at 9:00 am, with a procession of people of all ages carrying jugs, bottles, botas and other types of containers filled with red wine.

What is the wine battle of Haro?

The Haro Wine Battle is an annual event that takes place in the La Rioja province of Spain. Known locally as Batalla del Vino or San Vino, this Haro wine festival is centered around a wine fight that occurs in the wee morning hours.

Why is the Haro Wine Festival celebrated?

WHY IS THE HARO WINE FESTIVAL CELEBRATED? It all started in the 13th century when a land dispute erupted between Haro and the neighbouring town of Miranda de Ebro in northern Spain. Others believe the battle evolved from wine baptisms performed at a chapel built in honour of the city’s patron, San Felices.

Where is La Batalla de Vino?

Rioja region
That’s La Batalla del Vino in a nutshell. Held in the historic, picturesque town of Haro, in the Rioja region, about 100 kilometres south of Bilbao, thousands of people turn up for one of Spain’s most exuberant festivals every June 29th, Saint Peter’s Day.

What is the Batalla?

Esme Fox. 3 October 2017. Northern Spain’s famous Batalla del Vino (‘Wine Battle’) is one of the world’s biggest food and drink battles. During the event in La Rioja, more than 500 litres of red wine are thrown into the air with the aim to soak as many people with the sticky red grape juice as possible.

What European city hosts an annual wine throwing festival?

Haro
The Spanish wine-making town of Haro, La Rioja, has played host to its annual ‘wine fight’, where thousands of locals and tourists celebrate St Peter’s feast day by throwing thousands of litres of wine over each other.

How did the Haro Wine Festival start?

In fact, it was way back in the early part of the 13th century that the seeds of the modern day Haro Wine Festival were sown when the neighbouring village of Miranda del Ebro and the residents of Haro were in dispute over town lines incorporating the nearby mountains.

What European city has an annual wine throwing festival?

The Spanish wine-making town of Haro, La Rioja, has played host to its annual ‘wine fight’, where thousands of locals and tourists celebrate St Peter’s feast day by throwing thousands of litres of wine over each other.

When did Batalla del Vino start?

It is first recorded that in the 6th century, when the patron of the city of Haro, San Felices (Felix) of Bilibio died, that people began to make pilgrimages to the spot where he was buried in the caves of the Riscos de Bilibio (Cliffs of Bilibio) located in the foothills of the Obarenes Mountains some 5 kilometres …

Where is La Tomatina celebrated?

La Tomatina is a food fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August each year in the town of Buñol (history) near to Valencia in Spain.

When did Haro Wine Festival start?

The start of the Wine Festival finds itself in the 13th century, when the Haro had to officially mark the property lines between them and their neighbours in Miranda de Ebro.

What is a wine fight?

The battle of the wine in Haro, Spain is a Spanish fiesta like no other. A flag is then ceremoniously located, and a short mass is endured before red, wet carnage ensues, and everyone covers each other with wine splashed from all manner of containers like buckets, cups, bottles, jugs and even water pistols.

What does the Haro Wine Festival in Spain mean?

The Haro Wine Festival is known in Spanish as ‘La Batalla del Vino’ – the wine battle. It involves thousands of people soaking themselves, and everybody around them, in red wine that will ruin clothes for ever. Then rushing off to run around a bull ring chasing frolicking heifers and then finally going off to a party.

Where is the Battle of wine in Haro?

After the mass, the Battle of Wine commences. The participants toss wine on each other until everyone is completely soaked. This is a super fun event and tourist friendly. At noon, the festival continues at the Plaza de la Paz in Haro.

What to wear to the Haro Wine Festival?

Most people wear white at the beginning of the fight and everyone has containers such as jugs, bottles, buckets, water pistols, hose pipes – anything, really, and soon the whole world seems to turn completely pink. It’s no good turning up and expecting to stand back and watch; everyone is a target, so don’t wear your best clothes.

How many people live in the town of Haro?

Nowadays, the town of Haro, its 10,000 inhabitants joined by many, many visitors, begins to get the festivities under way a week before the battle itself. Visitors can look forward to the fact that Haro is renown for the quality of its tapas, as well as it being in the centre of Spain’s major Rioja-producing area.