Haro Wine Battle

Celebration date

La cita principal tiene lugar cada 29 June, festival of San Pedro, within the festivities of San Juan, San Felices and San Pedro. The day begins at dawn or early in the morning with the meeting of the pilgrims and the climb to Bilibio. 29 June is not, in itself, a general public holiday in La Rioja: the possible holiday status depends on the local work calendar approved for Haro.

View the programme of the Haro Wine Battle 2026.

Bilibio cliffs and route

The pilgrimage leaves Haro and heads to the Riscos de Bilibio, about six kilometers north of the city. The ceremonial centre is the hermitage of San Felices. Once the fight and the picnic lunch are over, the pilgrims return to Haro and perform the traditional laps in the Plaza de la Paz to the sound of brass bands, before continuing to the bullring.

Origin and history

The tradition comes from the pilgrimage to visit the place and the cave linked to San Felices. La Rioja Turismo explains that, shortly before the 20th century, the so-called "wine baptisms" began: the soakings between attendees that ended up uniting religious worship with popular celebration.

In 2011 the party obtained the title of Festival of National Tourist Interest, granted by resolution of the General Secretariat of Tourism and Internal Trade and published in the Official State Gazette.

How to experience the Battle of Wine

• Climb of the pilgrims from Haro to the Riscos de Bilibio.
• Mass in the hermitage of San Felices and rocket that gives way to the battle.
• Participants dressed in white, with the red festive scarf.
• Wine thrown from boots, non-glass bottles, sulfators, cauldrons and other containers.
• Brass bands, songs, lunch of snails or chops and festive return to Haro.
• Returns to the Plaza de la Paz and parades towards the bullring.

Organisation, security and participation

The Haro City Council organises the programme and the special access, mobility and security services, with the participation of the Brotherhood of San Felices de Bilibio, the Rector Sindico, clubs and brass bands. Assistance brings together the jug population and visitors, so official instructions on transportation, parking, accepted containers and protection of the environment must be respected.

A religious and popular tradition

The mass and veneration of San Felices maintain the pilgrimage origin of the day. The battle, the lunch and the laps express its festive dimension. Dressing in white allows the color of the wine to make participation visible, while the red scarf identifies the Haro festivities.

Sources

• La Rioja Tourism: origin, development and rules of the Battle of Wine.
• Haro City Council: presentation of the official 2026 festival programme.
• BOE: declaration as a Festival of National Tourist Interest.