Posted by Every year in Barcelona, Spain, a fun-filled festival arrives in October known as the Sitges Wine Festival or as the Festa De La Verema. Many gather for this harvest season in good spirits, while drinking the best wine from the Penedes region and eating some of the tastiest food right on the beautiful La Fragata Beach. The Sitges Wine Harvest Festival has celebrated this exciting tradition since 1961, where Sitges originally used to be a fishing village. During the 1950s and 1960s, other Spanish towns changed to target different types of tourism while Sitges carried on and kept its own special tourism.
In this tempting artistic atmosphere, the streets of the town are very colorful and light-hearted due to the energy of the people. There are many monuments, shops, and art to experience as you explore your options. Many restaurants even prepare special menus for this holiday to compliment the buzz of thrill soaring around; one example of the business is the showing of an annual Sitges film festival known as ‘Festival Internacional de Cine Fantastico de Sitges.’ On Friday, a stunning beauty pageant kick-starts an insight of the roots of the Catalan customs to its visitors. This is where the festival queen is proclaimed…Pubilla is a bygone word in Catalan for the oldest daughter destined to receive the family inheritance, though nowadays the Pubilla is the prettiest girl in town who is then named ‘
reina de la fiesta.’ On Saturday, the wine testing begins to flourish, and that following Sunday morning is when the first pressing of grapes is done. These traditions of grape stomping in the ‘Concurs de trepitjadors de raim’ and barrel carrying contests recall the true sense of the wine making ritual being meant for family and friends to come together. Afterward, an overflowing wine fountain is started up as the ‘La Pubilla’ winner will be counterbalanced by wine bottles, this is called ‘Pasaje de la Pubilla.’ Finally, the traditional Catalan sardanas begin to dance. ‘La Sarana’ is a custom folk dance of Catalonia, with music provided by a “cobla” woodwind band to create a strong sense of unity from its people. Sitges is truly overfilling with culture!
The Sitges Wine Harvest Festival is still very popular and thriving. The next scheduled festival is set to occur this coming October. The much-loved carnival is organized by the Foment de Turisme, and it is also sponsored by the Torres winery. If you plan to attend, make sure to be on the lookout, because it can be possible to spot popular celebrities at this occasion! We hope to hear of your lovely celebration stories.
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