Festa des Vermar: The Grape Harvest Festival of Binissalem

Every September, grape harvest festivities takes over Binissalem. The ‘Grape Party’ or Festa des Vermar has run since 1965, and is one of the island’s best-known festivals: three weeks of wine, food, music and tradition, centred around DO Binissalem, the local wine region.

The History, Briefly

Binissalem sits in the Raiguer, the foothill region that runs along the Serra de Tramuntana mountains. It’s Mallorca’s original wine region, and home to the island’s first official Denominació d’Origen (DO), granted in 1991. The town’s link to viticulture goes back centuries but Festa des Vermar started in 1965, marking the end of the grape harvest, and has grown into a three-week festival that belongs to the town as much as the wine does.

What To Expect

The festival opens quietly in the first couple of weeks, with a wine tasting, a swing dancing night and a community bike ride out to Can Arabí, then steps up a gear from the third weekend onward. The best-known annual fixtures, roughly in order:

• Fesitval Opening – Benvinguda a Sa Vermada – the evening the festival properly begins: a dance procession through the village, official reception of that year’s Vermadores i Vermadors (the harvest ambassadors, a young man and woman chosen to represent the festival), the opening speech, and a children’s correfoc (fire-run – a procession of costumed devils wielding fire and setting off small fireworks)
• Grape Battle – Batalla de Raïm – a mass grape fight at the edge of town, using tonnes of surplus fruit, preceded by a musical procession and the formal opening proclamation
• Grape-Treading Contest – Concurs de Trepitjar Raïm – pre-registered teams in traditional dress compete in the main square to press the most must (freshly pressed grape juice), watched over by a costumed Dionysus
• Vineyard Run – Cursa Rural Intervinyes – a run through the vineyards, with a children’s race first and the main event after
• Harvest Noodle Feast! Festa de Fideus de Vermar – a harvest dinner of traditional noodles in a spicy broth, a tradition since 1982
• The Outdoor Supper – Sopar a la Fresca – the whole town dines outdoors together, streets dressed with flowers and candles, with a prize for the best-decorated table
• Float Parade – Desfilada de Carrosses – a parade of decorated floats through the village
• The Wine Fair – Fira del Vi – tastings from the DO Binissalem bodegas (wineries)

The final Sunday closes the whole festival: a solemn mass, the ceremonial offering of that year’s new wine, traditional dancing, and another late night correfoc.

Family Notes

The Batalla de Raïm is the one children are most likely to remember – wear old clothes and expect everyone to come home stained purple. The grape-treading contest the next day is a spectator event for most visitors, since teams enter in advance through a local association rather than turning up on the day; still a good one to watch, especially with the crowd and music around the square. Wine tastings, the Fira del Vi and the DOcktail-style events are aimed at adults, but the parade, giants and fire runs are fun for all the family.

Binissalem sits on the Palma-Inca train line, so it’s an easy no-car day trip.