Vendimia is a festival of music and dance held every year in Mendoza to recreate the history of the harvest, our land and our people. It is a unique collective party of unrepeatable character.
There are several events during the Vendimia: the blessing of the fruits (Bendición de los Frutos), the beauty queens’ white parade (Via Blanca de las reinas), the carrousel (Carrusel), and the Main Celebration (Acto Central). There are additional shows during the second and third evenings of the festival including national shows with the last year’s elected Vendimia queen becoming the hostess for the festival.
BLESSING OF THE FRUITS
This religious ceremony is organized along with the Archbishop of Mendoza as an act of gratitude for the harvest. During the ceremony, the new wine is offered and then the governor of the province carries out the traditional Golpe de Reja representing the man who works the land under the protection of the Virgin of Carrodilla, patron saint of vineyards.
BEAUTY QUEENS’ WHITE PARADE
On the Friday previous to the Main Celebration people will excitedly fill the sidewalks of the main roads of the city to greet the beauty pageants competing for the Vendimia Crown. During this evening beauty queens selected by each district join the parade on carriages decorated with themes that identify each region, sharing distinctive fruits of their district with spectators. National beauty queens join the parade as well. This is a beautiful show of lights, music and regional pride.
THE CARROUSEL
On Saturday morning after the white parade, the carrousel becomes a day parade with horses and mules pulling harvest carriages. Music and costumes from other countries join the parade to represent working the land. All beauty pageants both national and regional will also join this parade.
MAIN CELEBRATION
The final ceremony is held on Saturday evening at the open amphitheatre Frank Romero Day. The Main Celebration gathers around 20,000 people whilst other spectators join from nearby hills to witness the great show with more than a thousand dancers on stage, artistic performances, sound and light shows. The show culminates with the crowning of the new National Harvest Queen (Reina Nacional de la Vendimia).