Haro Wine Festival facts for kids
The Haro Wine Festival is a lively summer celebration held in the town of Haro, located in La Rioja, Spain. It's famous for its unique "Batalla de Vino," which means "Battle of Wine," and also includes youth bullfights. This festival is so special that it's known as a "Festival of International Tourist Interest," meaning many people from all over the world come to enjoy it. The main day of the festival is June 29, which is also the day of the patron saint, San Pedro.
The festival starts with a special church service, called a mass. This mass takes place at the Chapel of San Felices de Bilibio. San Felices de Bilibio was an important person who lived in the 6th century. He lived and died in the area now known as the Cliffs of Bilibio. For a long time, people have visited this chapel. The tradition of visiting became much more organized after the first official chapel was built on the cliffs in the early 1700s.
After the church service, the exciting Battle of Wine begins! During lunchtime, everyone starts throwing wine at each other. Soon, everyone is completely soaked and covered in purple wine. People use all sorts of things to throw the wine, like boots, bottles, or even water pistols. At one point, not everyone liked getting so messy, especially women who didn't want their dresses stained. So, the festival's popularity went down for a while. However, in 1949, the Battle of Wine was mentioned in a newspaper article, and word spread. The festival quickly became popular again. Today, the Haro Wine Festival brings in people from all over the world every year.
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What Happens During the Festival?
The Haro Wine Festival has a clear schedule of events, especially on the main day, June 29th.
Early Morning Preparations
A little before 7:00 AM, people get ready. They dress in white clothes and carry wine to the Cliffs of Bilibio. They might walk, ride in trailers pulled by tractors, or drive in private cars.
The Procession and Mass
Around 8:30 or 9:00 AM, the city mayor leads a procession. The mayor traditionally rides on horseback to the Chapel of San Felices de Bilibio. This chapel is about six kilometers north of Haro. People of all ages join the procession, carrying jugs, bottles, and other containers filled with red wine. When they arrive at the chapel, the mayor places a special banner at the top of the rocks. Then, a church service is held.
The Wine Battle Begins!
After the mass, a rocket is fired into the sky. This rocket officially signals the start of the wine battle! Everyone begins throwing wine at each other, creating a huge, purple, and very wet party.
After the Battle
Around 10:30 AM, when most of the wine has been used up, people start heading back to the city. In 2007, it was estimated that about 20,000 liters of wine were used in the battle! People return to dry their soaked clothes and have lunch. Around 12:00 PM, they enter the city and go to the bullring. Here, young cattle are released for youth "bullfights." Don't worry, no animals are harmed in these events.
A Festival of International Interest
The Haro Wine Festival has received several important titles over the years, showing how special it is.
- 1965: The festival was first called a "Festival of Tourist Interest."
- 1980: It was officially classified as a "Festival of Tourist Interest" by the government.
- 1998: The government of La Rioja gave it the title of "Festival of National Tourist Interest." This meant it was recognized as important across Spain.
- 2011: Finally, the festival was declared a "Festival of International Tourist Interest." This is the highest honor a festival can receive, recognizing its global appeal!
Children's Wine Battle
Since 2004, there's also a special wine battle just for kids! This allows younger people to enjoy the tradition safely.
- When: It usually happens on June 26th or 27th.
- Where: It takes place in the Plaza de la Paz in Haro, between 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
- What happens: Children receive containers filled with red liquid (not real wine). They go on a short walk to the "fairgrounds." After a small offering, their own wine battle begins!
- After the battle: All the children get a tasty lunch of chocolate and biscuits. Their festival fun continues at the Plaza, where they can watch "bullfights" with young heifers in the town bullring. Remember, no animals are killed in these events.
Other Similar Celebrations
The Haro Wine Festival isn't the only event where people celebrate with wine! Here are a few others:
- Jumilla, Spain: Every August 15th, the Great Wine Parade takes place. Floats representing Jumilla and its wine parade through the fairgrounds. Music, traditional desserts, and lots of wine are shared among the participants.
- San Asensio, Spain: Since 1977, they have celebrated a "claret battle." In 2007, over a thousand people attended this event.
- Llamigo, Spain: On September 9th, during the festivities for the Virgin of Loreto, they have a mass, a procession, horse races, and a "wine war" similar to the one in Haro.
Images for kids
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Haro Wine Festival
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Haro Wine Battle Festival Graffiti
See also
In Spanish: Batalla del vino para niños
