Fiesta de la Vendimia de Curicó

Fiesta de la Vendimia de Curicó is one of the wine festivals that anchors the Central Valley calendar, drawing both local visitors and international wine travellers each year. It is held at Parque La Granja in Curicó, in the heart of one of Chile's most distinctive wine areas. It is an annual event with an established local audience and a consistent place in the regional calendar. Chile's most historic harvest festival; wine tastings, Queen election, parade floats; 15 wineries on Maule Valley Wine Route; "Sabores del Maule" tourist train from Santiago. Harvest and grape festivals — fiestas de la vendimia, festas das vindimas, weinlesefeste — are some of the longest-running celebrations in their regions, with many running uninterrupted for a century or more. Programmes typically combine grape-stomping demonstrations, traditional music, parades of allegorical floats, food stalls offering regional specialities, and tastings of the area's wines. The events have strong local character and are often as much community celebrations as wine programmes, with town councils, parish committees and local producer associations sharing the organisational load. Many festivals incorporate religious elements — blessings of the harvest, processions to the parish church — that connect the wine calendar to the liturgical year. The event is organised by Municipalidad de Curicó / Ruta del Vino del Valle de Curicó, which sets the tone and direction of the programme each year. The Central Valley is the broad geographical-indication umbrella covering Chile's main wine production zones from Maipo south through Cachapoal, Colchagua, Curicó, Maule and Itata. Most Chilean wine exports labelled 'Central Valley' carry the broader regional designation rather than a specific valley name, particularly at lower price points. The 2026 edition is scheduled for 20-22 March 2026. Cost details are best confirmed directly with the organiser ahead of travel. Full programme, ticketing and updated information are published on the official site at https://chile.travel/eventos/fiesta-de-la-vendimia-curico-2026/. Visitors are advised to check directly with the organiser for the latest schedule, as festival programmes are sometimes updated close to the event date. The Central Valley extends some 600 km south from Santiago. The whole valley is reached easily via Route 5 (the Pan-American Highway), with all the main sub-valleys accessible by car or bus from Santiago. The valley combines wine tourism with the country's central agricultural heartland and the wider Chilean cuisine culture.