http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/the-haro-wine-battle-a-water-fight-for-grown-ups.html#more-25430 The Haro Wine Battle – A Water Fight for Grown-Ups By Spooky on July 4th, 2011 Category: Events, Pics 39Share Every year, the small town of Haro, one of the biggest wine producers in Spain, hosts the traditional “Batalla del Vino”, the Wine Battle, where participants throw tons of red wine at each other. Part of the Haro Wine Festival, the annual Wine Battle takes place on June 29, the day of the patron saint San Pedro, and is attended by thousand of people from La Rioja region of northern Spain. The day starts early, at 7 am, with the town mayor parading through the town, on horseback. The procession of people old and young, dressed in white clothes, wearing red scarves and carrying all kinds of wine-filled recipients, follows him on foot through the nearby Mountains of Bilibio, all the way to a small chapel of San Felices. It’s a 7 km walk from Haro, but the fun everyone has after the short mass performed there. As soon as the mass ends, the wine battle begins. Some people pour buckets of red wine on each other, other sprinkle it from water guns, or throw bags filled with wine. It’s really up to the participants what kind of “weapons” they choose to bring to the Haro Wine Battle, as long as they don’t cause injuries and are full of wine. After a few hours of bathing in wine, the whole mountain smells like a regular bodega, and everyone’s clothes go from white to purple. It’s estimated over 50,000 liters of wine are used every year, during this unique event. ===================== Batalla Del Vino, Haro This is the culmination of Haro's annual Fiesta - a two hour long Wine Battle using all and any available means to soak the revellers, preceded by a night of dancing and drinking including a heroic cover band in the main square that played for around eight hours!!!!!!! ==================== http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/16563 Festivals, food and sport are three primal passions of the Spaniards, and often they’re fused together in chaotic fiestas where launching foodstuffs is the sport, like the Tomatina festival in Valencia, and the hurling of flour and eggs at the Chupinazo in Pamplona. Similarly, the La Rioja region, Spain’s wine capital, internationally noted for its whites, red and rosados, holds a Bacchanalian bombardment every year during a multi-day celebration of Saint Peter. There are massive communal meals, concerts and bull-jumping events. But in the Batalla del Vino, the artillery is red red wine. Early on the morning of June 29, I wandered out of Haro toward distant, fog-shrouded Mount Bilibio amid a drunken sea of white-linen-clad crazies. Tractors, flatbeds, and ice-cream trucks with radios blaring picked up as much human cargo as possible, depositing us at the base of the rock, where purple streams trickled down the path, a heavenly scene of wine flowing from the hills. A fellow warrior and his son Mario informed me the river was better ten years ago when a local tycoon rented a helicopter with a water cannon and peppered the procession with sweet libation from the skies. As the fog burned away, I saw a snaking line of purple zombies wandering down the hill, shell-shocked from the vitriol of the vine. I hastened my step and flung headlong into my first Wine War. Praise be to Bacchus I had the foresight to bring a hat and goggles, for the air was so thick with spirits you could scarcely spot the sniper in front of you. I took cover behind a Spanish policeman but was fragged with friendly fire in the back by my ‘friend’ Mario, replete with super-soaker and impish grin. Pesticide sprayers, water pistols, buckets, barrels and baseball hats were loaded to the gills with wine and flung furtively at the masses. Cameramen, reporters and foreigners were favourite fodder. But I was battle-ready, or so I thought: my camera had been Macgyvered diligently with garbage bags and ziplocs, rubber bands and plastic, so I could endure the onslaught til drunk or dry. I muay-thaied my way to the middle of the moshpit, past purple trumpeters and moist musketeers, terrified Brits and piggy-backing pigtailers, and clung to a tall tree. Getting a hoist from a Belgian, I vaulted to a branch for what I thought would be the shot of the festival. And it was, but sadly it wasn’t the photo, it was me. I was the supreme target, the goofy foreigner stuck in the pine. Burgundy blasts and Gran Reserva rat-a-tat-tat erupted from all directions; within seconds I was drenched and the camera was shutting itself down. The last photo I salvaged was of a man who resembled Dionysus, fists in the air, laughing. I fell off the branch into the throbbing mass of dancing crimson humanity. For a Catholic festival of excess, hedonism and wild abandon, the Batalla del Vino went off incredibly smoothly: no lacerations, no arrests, no public nudity. The Spanish seem more able than most to strike that balance between the sacred and the profane, the pious and the primal. It was communal catharsis and release, a farcical war of waste, after which the normally industrious Riojans could return to another year of tranquil productivity. Dominic Bonuccelli travelled to Spain on assignment for Lonely Planet. You can follow his adventures on Lonely Planet: Roads Less Travelled, screening internationally on National Geographic. ======================\ http://spanishfood.about.com/b/2007/06/28/the-battle-of-wine-la-batalla-del-vino-in-haro-spain.htm ================ http://www.festivalpig.com/Batalla-Del-Vino.html When & Where The Battalla-Del-Vino occurs every St. Pedro’s day 29th June 9am in Haro in Spain is 100km South of Bilbao. Why A land dispute with neighbouring town Miranda De Ebro regarding the mountains between them - Montes Obarenes. The dispute dates back to the 10th century. The history of the battle of the wine goes back to 1906. Riscos de Bilibo The Regidor Sindico (the Mayor) passes through town on horseback, up the mountains to the chapel. Everyone follows him with anything that is capable of holding wine. People walk 7kms to this small chapel and statue of San Felices. A quick service. Right after Haro and all it’s members, temporary and permanent, rush outside and mayhem ensues. Afterwards everyone returns to the bullring. ================== http://www.spaintravelguide.com/batalla-del-vino-spains-messy-wine-battle.html history =============== http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJiH7Y-eiFI ============ http://spanishfood.about.com/od/holidaysfeasts/a/Spanish-Wine-Battle-La-Batalla-Del-Vino.htm Every year on June 29th, the town of Haro, in the heart of La Rioja is the site of a major battle. Hundreds of Spaniards celebrate by soaking each other with wine, using any means possible. Squirt guns, sprayers, boxed wine and bottles are used to wet everyone within range. Early in the morning people head out of town, on foot or by car through the vineyards and up the side of a mountain to San Felices. They make the hike up the mountain, and celebrate mass for their city's patron saint. Most dress in white from head to toe, and tie the traditional red handkerchiefs around their necks. They carry wine - in bottles, bota bags, boxes, squirt guns and even sprayers with backpacks. The mass ends and the battle begins in the hills and on the road back down to town. As everyone returns to town, they circle the main plaza while bands play typical music. Lots of visitors park in the vineyards outside of town, and walk the rest of the way. So many cars try to park in the fields that the police direct traffic. In 2010, police closed the road up the mountain during the mass, and only pedestrians were allowed up. Even walking the road through the vineyards, everyone is fair game for being squirted with wine. What's the Battle Really Like? In 2010 we made the trip to Haro, parked in the vineyards and began to walk the road to the mass. Purple-clad young people, dripping with red wine and shivering with the cold were heading down the road as we walked up. The strong smell of red wine filled the cool morning air. We didn't make it half way up before our shirts were purple, too. (No such thing as a spectator during this festival.) Alongside the road where we walked, there was literally a stream of red wine, flowing down the hill. Fortunately for us, we found a wide spot in the road and stood next to some Guardia Civil (Civil Guard of Spain) who were there to direct traffic. We quickly decided that the battle was better left to the young people, and we headed into town to enjoy a pincho and Rioja wine - in a glass! Back in the town square of Haro, townspeople were beginning to gather to watch the procession around the town square. Many locals and visitors alike sat at outdoor tables at the cafes and enjoyed a mid-morning vinito or tapa. Gradually, grape-soaked participants from the battle strolled into the plaza and began to circle. They would continue the celebration that started outside of town. We said our good-byes to Haro and changed into dry shirts. Recommendations - If You're Going... If you are going to attend the Battle, we have the following suggestions: Dress in White - Like the saying goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans." In this case, that means you should dress in white, at least in an old white t-shirt. If you don't, you'll stand out like a sore thumb and become more of a target. Bring a Change of Clothing - No matter what, you'll get wet, so bring a change of clothing because it is brisk in the morning when your clothing is soaking wet. That means a change of shoes and socks, too! Bring a Towel - Bring an old towel, so you can at least dry your hands and face. Come Armed - Be sure to bring a large squirt gun or bota (wine skin) filled with red wine. If you don't, you'll feel frustrated after being squirted a few times with wine, and wish you could "squirt back." Bring Large Trash Bags - Trash bags? Yes! You'll need them! Many people cover their car's front bucket seats with large trash bags because they don't change their clothes until they get back into town. Trust us, you don't want to sit on the seats, rental or not, in wine-soaked clothing. Cover the seats in plastic and bring an extra bag for your wet clothes. ================