Attend to the Grape Harvest Festival

A nice rest at the Mendoza's 4 Stars Hotel is highly recommended in order to get ready for the most exciting week in the Mediterranean province. Parades, musical shows, wine tasting and beauty contests are some of the proposlas to celebrate the new harvest. The origins of the Grape Harvest Festival date back to 1936, when it used to take place at the General San Martn Park. Ever since, this celebration has been part of Mendoza's culture and, year after year, the ritual comes back to life. As the most important social event in Cuyo region, this event has become one of the most important festivities over the whole country.

The Grape Harvest Festival starts with a tour of carrousels along San Martn Avenue. Many of the visitors are part of the huge audience at the Gimnasia y Esgrima stadium, where the main acts take place. However, the festival is not officially inaugurated until the Blessing of the Fruit is held. This event is performed in tribute to the first peasants, who used to thank the Carrodilla Virgin for the good yields. They did it in every winery, and it became a tradition as time went by. That is why the Blessing is such a relevant part of the festival.

The Queen's White Way is a moment full of expectations and emotions. During this national celebration, people from every department of Mendoza province wait till that evening to cheer for their candidates, hoping one of them becomes the Grape Harvest Queen. The following day, the queen parade can be enjoyed along the main streets. Gorgeous queens and princesses of each department ride on their carriages, waving and thanking to the crowd. At night, the Election of the Grape Harvest Queen takes place at the Romero Day Greek Theater. Tourists and residents attend to the ceremony, full of surprises and artistic shows.

The Grape Harvest Festival is a national and popular celebration, which no guest at the Mendoza's 4 Stars Hotel should ever miss. Winegrowers, winemakers and all those who take part on the wine production are there to celebrate their achievements and to share their creations during a fantastic show of light, colors and music. March is certainly the merriest and most festive month for Cuyo region, as this marvelous festivity takes place, seizing the warm weather of the last summer days.