The Romería del Vino

Alina and Lawrence Strong With other eyes 01 Septiembre 2015

A tradition revived 33 years ago is a complete success.

Every 15 August, Alhama de Granada celebrates the Romería del vino.

The celebration takes place on the Assumption of the virgin Mary´s Day, which a traditional catholic celebration and in Spain is a national holiday.

In town and villages across Spain, the romerías take place usually on the day they celebrate their patron Virgin or Saint.

The tradition comes from the pilgrimage of those travelling to Rome and it consists of a peregrination or trip walking, in cars, floats, horseback that ends up in a sanctuary or hermitage. It is not necessary a trip but a celebration that lasts all day long.

In Alhama, the day evolves as follows: Mass service in the morning, carriages, floats and horse riders joining the gathering; pilgrimage through the town towards the area known as El Motor, family and friends gather for an all day long picnic, wine, food and music are shared.

A selected group of people act as judges to vote for the best carriage and theme and prices are given out; the horse competition begins in the afternoon and the fiesta continues
until the end of daylight.

Historically, this type of event was also convenient for boys to meet girls and both groups dressed with their best clothing. Families invested heavily in buying the best flamenco dresses they could afford for their daughters.

Land owners used to supply the food and drink and attend to the celebration. This day used to be the only day off in the year for the farm workers and their families.
To this day, the families attend this event and boys and girls meet and celebrate together. They take this opportunity to dress on their traditional garments which makes this celebration one of the closest to tradition in Alhama.

In Alhama the tradition started 33 years ago, and it has increased its importance by including from this year, a special celebration for all the emigrants of Alhama who have returned to the I Encounter to the land where they were born.

The wine part of the celebration started some years ago with the idea to invite the locals to taste the home made wine or "vino del terreno" which has been traditionally brewed in cortijos near and around Alhama.
The wine is so strong that food had to be supplied to ensure people where not to be falling of their horses and mules, floats or tractors after tasting the wine and the traditional "Olla Jameña" was included in the menu.

Olla Jameña is a dish of belly pork cooked with chick peas and it is now the distinctive dish of the region which is served each year in this celebration.

This year, the 33rd Romería del Vino included the participation of 19 floats and 40 horse riders from the Asociación Caballista La Elevada who decided to take the alternative route or Camino de los Ángeles to stop and offer flowers to the Virgen of Los Ángeles.

Floats participating in the XXXIII Romería del Vino, 2015:
- Drink Team 2.0
- The Wiskers
- Plataforma Mavoki
- Se llama copa
- Los multiusos
- Los veteranos
- A nuestra manera
- Ñá, ñá, llenagaritos
- Guajiros
- Los Wakonda
- Los que vamos a quedar
- Soziedad alcohólica
- Rocieros Francisco Horcajadas
- Los acoplaos al río
- La Charca del Callejón
- Los Júngaros
- Justo a tiempo
- Vinagre
- Asociación Caballista 'La Elevada'

The concentration in La Joya