The Hills are Alive… But not with Music!

Last semester, I wrote about a Spanish festival called “La Tomatina”, in which participants throw tomatoes at each other for hours on end, completely obliterating anything in sight with the red, sticky tomato juice. After reading about that, I did not expect to come upon another event that matches La Tomatina’s messy ways until I encountered this festival.

Like “La Tomatina”, this festival called the “Batalla del Vino” also is held in Spain. I am sure that if you know Spanish, you can guess what this festival is all about, but for those who do not, this festival is essentially one of the world’s biggest food and drink battles with, you guessed it, wine! This event is held in the small town of Haro, in the heart of the La Rioja wine region. The town is very quintessential and beautiful, so it makes sense that the actual battle is held about 4 miles outside of town, in the Riscos de Bilibio hills. It is held annually on June 29 to celebrate and honor the saints of San Juan, San Felices, and San Pedro. In the morning, locals and tourists gather and usually attend a mass before trekking to the hills. After the hike, the battle begins! The goal is to soak the people surrounding you with as much wine as possible! It is suggested that you wear white to show how purple you get after being soaked by the wine for a whole day! At noon, the battle halts and people stop for lunch. It is tradition to feast on snails and lamb chop for lunch, but there are a variety of vendors available for the more diverse, modern crowd (especially tourists). The party continues after lunch in Haro, with live music, dancing, and even shopping at the local markets and street stalls. It may seem odd that a tradition like this even exists, but it has a rich history which is very monumental to the people of Haro. It gets its roots back in the sixth century when San Felices de Bilibio died and was buried in the caves of the Riscos de Bilibio hills. People would pay homage to him, leaving wine in the hills. Eventually, a chapel was built there in the 18^th century, the site of the wine baptisms of the 20th century. Over time, these baptisms turned into wine celebrations and voila! The wine battle was born. Before coming to this wonderful festival, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning the trip. First off, make sure to bring clothes, mostly white in color, that you do not mind ruining. As mentioned previously, this festival gets very messy and will stain your clothes. A handkerchief tied around the neck is also a popular wardrobe choice, so that wine does not go trickling down your neck or back. Usually, there are specially themed handkerchiefs for purchase each Batalla del Vino, so you can take it, along with your stained clothes, back home as souvenirs. Make sure to bring a container with you as well, to fill up on the ammunition. Plastic buckets and bottles are mostly used, but the best recommendation is a water gun! If you are planning on staying in Haro overnight, make sure to plan accordingly ahead of time, because reservations fill up very quickly! Bon voyage, or buen viaje!