Considering the last one was held 40 years ago, you probably have never attended the Grape Festival in the central state of Aguascalientes — but now is your big chance.
After a four-decade hiatus, the festival has returned to the state capital of Aguascalientes city, celebrating the region’s acclaimed wines, its cattle and bullfighting heritage and its “underrated” culture.
Titled the Feria de la Uva: Sabor, Tierra y Tradición (Grape Festival: Flavor, Land and Tradition), the event opened Saturday and runs through Sunday, Aug. 24.
It features more than 200 cultural activities, including wine tasting, concerts and two chances to “run” with the bulls.
Local officials and organizers attributed the long gap in festivals to shifting economic priorities and the state’s busy event landscape.
That includes an understandable focus on the vaunted San Marcos Fair, which was first held in 1828 and has been described as the largest national fair in Latin America and one of the 10 largest in the world. Its 23-day run earlier this summer drew 8.5 million visitors and generated an economic impact of over 10 billion pesos (US $531 million), according to reports in El Economista and other newspapers citing governing officials.
This year’s reinstatement was viewed as a move to consolidate Aguascalientes’ position on Mexico’s wine and tourism map. Governor Tere Jiménez, elected in 2022, led the revival effort, boasting: “Aguascalientes has an impressive cultural richness. We have more than 200 wine labels that have won international awards. Today we are very happy that the fair is returning and that we are showcasing the wealth and hard work that exists in the state.”
The opening weekend set a spirited tone with over 7,000 people gathering for the Sanmarqueño Bull Run through the historic center, followed by a free jazz concert by Argentine singer Karen Souza that drew about 2,000 people. In other areas of the fair, people sampled local wines, cheeses and sweets.
Sipping history: A journey through Aguascalientes wine country
“It’s a return to what made us great and what keeps us that way,” said State Secretary of Tourism Mauricio González López.
The schedule includes handicraft expos, culinary showcases and three bullfights at Plaza San Marcos — one last weekend, and two more coming up on Saturday and Sunday.
In an homage to the region’s renowned cattle and savvy bullfighters, there will also be bullfighting workshops, courses for kids related to bullfighting and vaca loca (mad cow) rallies — fun events in which participants try to dodge or playfully interact with a young or non-dangerous bovine.
As for “running with the bulls,” here’s how it happened on opening day: six bulls were released and paraded through the streets, flanked by families, bullfighting fans and ranchers — all dressed in traditional attire: white shirts, jeans and red scarves. Another bull release is set for 12 p.m. Saturday.
The remaining lineup of free concerts consists of Pandora & Flans on Friday and Amanda Miguel on Saturday.
For more information, visit Ruta Del Vino Aguascalientes on Facebook. Admission is free.
With reports from El Financiero, Excélsior and Animal Político
