Every year on the 29th of June Spain’s one of the most unique festivals, the wine fight or also known as La Batalla de Vino de Haro. Take your water guns and prepare yourself for the wine fight!

locals and visitors come together in the famous wine region of La Rioja in the wine yard of Haro to celebrate together on Saint Peter’s Day (El dia de San Pedro) with this crazy festivity. During the celebration people pour sweet liquids all over each other, eating, drinking, and singing together.

The people of the towns of Haro and Miranda del Ebro were constantly fighting over property and land, but in 1237 the villages were commanded to stop, and indicate the town boundaries with purple banners. The process of dyeing the fabric and carrying it to the town borders is more or less what the people re-enacting.  Over time it has grown and evolved into a full-on wine fight, celebrating and getting drunk after mass on the day of San Pedro. It starts at 9:00 AM with a Holy Mass in the Cliffs of Bilibio. After the Mass everyone heads to the wine yards of Haro, carrying bottles, buckets, and other types of containers filled with red wine. Once everyone is arrived the wine battle begins, everyone starts to splash wine on each other until everyone is soaked in the sweet red liquid. Every type of “weapon” is allowed, `participants can use bottles, buckets, water guns, and anything else that can be used to hurl, spray or launch thousands of liters of wine all over the crowd. The fight usually continues for a few hours up until midday, when everyone starts to head back to the city’s famous square the Plaza de Paz, where the celebrations are continues with music, dancing, tons of food, and more wine. 

Everyone is supposed to be clothed in white shirts with a red scarf during the battle. After the battle the white clothes won’t be, as well your skin and hair will be dying purple and you will smell like grapes for the next few days, but believe us: it’s worth it!

Do not forget your swimming goggles at home because red wine can be really painful if it runs to your eyes instead of your mouth (which is highly possible).

The region of La Rioja is not only famous because of the Battle of Wine but this region is the best wine-producing part of Spain and is always a good choice if you are a wine lover. Haro, where 40% of the entire region’s vineyards are situated is known for its deep reds with fruity flavors and is home of the best wines across Spain.