Valencia Trader

Raimà Grape Festival

Battle of the Grapes!! La Raima takes place this year in Pobla del Duc on Friday 28 August 2009.

This year La Pobla del Duc, an inland town in the Vall d’Albaida in the province of Valencia, is celebrating its grape festival, already known as the Raimà, the most outstanding event of which is the grape throwing battle. This gathering will be held  in the square of the Wine-Making Cooperative, located next to the entrance to the town from the road that connects Gandía and Albaida.

To facilitate the battle, three lorries will distribute 40 tons of grapes of the Garnacha Tintorera variety amongst the participants and at twelve o’ clock midday on the dot the great battle, which has turned into a festive reference point of the Region of Valencia, will begin. Prior to this there will be a popular brunch at the Municipal Swimming Pool and after the event there will be a gigantic paella lunch in the Municipal Sports Centre.

It is predicted that participation will be higher than last year’s festival, for which reason the amount of bunches of grapes has been increased and showers have been installed in the Poasà. Likewise, the local authorities will reinforce the security measures for the combatants with the prohibition of the entrance into the precinct with glass and metal objects, nor will they be able to tear T-shirts and there will also be a security space between the grape-throwers and the lorries that transport the grapes.

This fiesta aims to extol the wine-growing tradition of the town, given that 70 per cent of the population works in the agricultural sector and the grape has been the main source of income for the inhabitants of the town for many years. Although another of the reasons for this promising grape battle was to save water given that in previous years a similar event took place but with water.

The Raimà is preceded by a series of events, such as the local festival opening speech and presentation held in the Assembly Room of the Town Hall and the exhibition followed by a picaeta (a few snacks) of cacaus (cocoa), tramús (lupin) and mistela (grape juice) for all those attending and the performance of La Pobla del Duc dance group.

The town will also celebrate the Civic Grape Festiva. This consists in a processional parade in which the farmers dress up in typical costumes and carry baskets decorated with fruit. The fiesta ends in the square called Plaza de la Iglesia with the traditional grape treading in a drum with an orchestra and mobile disco.

For more information go to  La Raima