Original article in the Diario de Jerez
The deputy mayor and councillor for planning and promotion of culture, patrimony and security, Francisco Camas, presented this morning the programme for the Fiestas de la Vendimia (harvest festival) which will be celebrated from the 1st till the 16th September and dedicated this year to the city of Rota.
The event was attended by the director of the Consejo Regulador for Sherry, César Saldaña; the delegate for Promotion of Tourism in Rota, Yolanda Morales García and members of the committee of the Fiestas de la Vendimia.
Firstly, the deputy mayor, Francisco Camas, thanked the Consejo Regulador and the Fiestas de la Vendimia committee for the work they have done and emphasised “that the city council wishes to continue promoting the fiesta for all it represents for the area and for the city”.
“It is one of the best established fiestas of our festive calendar and puts the final flourish to our summer cultural programme. It capitalises on the magnificent cultural infrastructure we have in our city and moreover serves to showcase what really distinguishes us” added the deputy mayor.
In line with what was initiated last year, this year’s fiesta will be dedicated to another of the cities in the Jerez area, Rota. “Our objective with this initiative, as we explained last year, is to engender synergies and make ever closer the links which unite us with other citizens of the Jerez area. We should not forget the real roots of the fiesta which is to celebrate the birth of the new wine which will become Sherry, one of the best drinks in the world and one of our principal distinctions. Thus we will be counting on the presence of representatives of the wine trade and institutions of Rota”.
The day of the 11th of September will be dedicated to Rota with the screening of the documentary “Tintilla de Rota. TheHeritage”, followed by a seminar and a tasting of Tintilla at the Consejo Regulador.
For his part, the director of the Consejo Regulador for Sherry, César Saldaña, offered his thanks “for the Council’s contribution to the fiesta which offer a fantastic boost to the bodegas of the region”. As to the dedication to the city of Rota, “this is an important town within the Denomination of origin which has a wine with its own unique identity: the Tintilla, which is unknown to many, so this will be a great opportunity to let people discover it”.
Rota’s delegate for the Promotion of Tourism, Yolanda Morales García, expressed herself “very grateful for the dedication to our town in the fiesta. Rota and Jerez have always had very close links, not just concerning tourism but also with wine production, and this is a magnificent occasion to reinforce those links”.
Special dedication to the art of cooperage
Among the events at this year’s fiesta is an exhibition, “The office of coopering through the eyes of an Artist” by Francisco Pinto and Eduardo Pereiras. The exhibition will have a programme of parallel activities like guided visits, a round table and seminars. “It is a way of demonstrating a craft related to the wine trade which was fundamental to it when it was booming”.
This year again, the first activity of the fiesta will be the Treading of the Grapes. This will be on the 1st September when the top of the cathedral steps will host the birth of the new must in an act bursting with symbolism for our city.
For 16 days, locals and visitors alike can enjoy a widely varied programme of activities with something for everybody.
The star of the show will be Sherry, naturally, but there will also be concerts, flamenco, exhibitions, guided walks, children’s activities and bodega visits among many other offerings.
The Alcázar will again host the official reception, the prize-giving for the VI Short Stories Competition, the children’s activity “Learning to use a Venencia”, the De Copa en Copa tastings and the Grand Tastings, not to mention the International Puppet show.
Celebration of the European Day of the Horse
Along with the star of the show, wine, the fiesta’s programme of activities will also feature the horse as the focus of other events which, in this latest edition of the fiesta will have a special relevance as Jerez is the European City of Equestrianism for the duration of 2018.
As in previous years, Jerez, along with other European cities linked to equestrianism, will celebrate the European Day of the Horse to honour the animal’s role and its significance in our lives, whether economic, social, cultural or touristic.
The important contribution of the companies in this sector should also be highlighted for their work in setting up the fiesta’s equestrian programme, which will be open to all, and which will offer citizens and visitors everything from horse shows, visits and exhibitions to sporting competitions and an interesting educational event.
The institutional event will take place on the 8th September and among the highlights of these activities is the Low Handicap Polo Championship, which takes place from the 7th – 9th September and is one of the most exciting events in the programme of Jerez European City of the Horse.
The Royal School of Equestrian Art will host the Gala for the 50th anniversary of La Cope as well as other exhibitions, and so will A Campo Abierto where they breed bulls, and La Yeguada de la Cartuja where they breed horses. Also of educational interest are the equestrian centres El Juncal and Los Llanos de Vicos as well as a full programme of trials at La Escuela de Chapín.
- Download Fiestas de la Vendimia 2018 Programm
