A Battle of Purple

Mark it on your calendar folks, every year on June 29^th, the town of Haro, Spain gets out their squirt guns, sprayers, and boxed wine to make the most of La Batalla del Vino, The Spanish Wine Battle. Spain is most notably known for its succulent wines, and so what better way to display these wines then to douse one another in the purple grapes. It’s time to get sticky, soaked and smelling of wine.

The festival starts with a mass, than carries on into a procession up to Mount San Felices. You’ll know the festival is in full swing as you’ll see a whole swarm of people walking up to the top of the mountain in white with a red bandana around their necks.

When the thousands reach to the top, the battle begins. The battle is a sight to see, as by the end, squirt guns are emptied, sprayers have nothing left in them and the boxes and bottles of wine have all fallen to the wayside. After several hours, the battle is finished, the people, now clad in purple, make their way down the mountain, head on into the town and enjoy gigantic feasts with plenty of wine. And so, not only will you smell of the sweet grapes that are used in creating some of the finest wines of Spain, but you’ll, after all the sweat, tears, and sticky-ness, get to enjoy a glass or two of Spain’s wines.

It’s all about celebrating the beauty of a culture, and this battle does just that. If you are ever in Haro on June 29^th, you’re going to want to bring some crisp white clothes, so that when the festival is over you can have a little purple memento of your adventures in this quaint town.