Haro Wine Festival is a festival in the town of Haro in the La Rioja region of northern Spain. It is held every year in the summer on the 29th of June and involves wine drinking competitions and contests and a Batalla de Vino (Battle of Wine)
Inhabitants and tourist celebrate San Pedro's day with the infamous Batalla del Vino on the Riscos de Bilibio hilltop. Tens of thousands of litres of the tasty local Riojan Wine are used as ammunition.
At 9 o’clock in the morning a procession takes place in the streets of the town. At the head is the mayor on horseback with a banner and following him are the citizens of Haro, all dressed in white with red scarfs. They are carrying jugs, bottles, carboys and what ever you can fill with wine.Al ages are participating but the youngsters dominate. They walk or drive to a mountain with a chapel short distances away, where a mass is held.After the mass "hell" breaks out... Everybody sprinkles wine on each other. The carriers of some sprinkle equipment literally heaps wine on their prey, but that is considered cheating. The tradition says to use botas, the bottles made of leather.Soon all people have turned pinkish, their hair hangs down and their shoes are soaked. But everybody looks very happy, especially they who are making bonfires and arranging with wine and tapas. There are no apparent rules, teams, winners or losers. The aim is simple: survival of the fittest and having so much fun!