Rača Grape Harvest

Devín, Karlova Ves, Nové Mesto, Rača, Vajnory. The most famous vintage festivities of the Bratislava wine-growing districts are traditionally in Raca as part of the Little Carpathian Vintage, praising the fermenting grape must. During three days you will find a great program, various exhibitions and many sporting events.

It is in this city district in the northeast of Bratislava where the biggest local event of the year takes place – the Rača Grape Harvest. After the summer holidays, this Bratislava district also offers its own version of vintage with a number of great musical crowd-pullers. This time you can aenjoy it from 9th to 11th September. In addition to the celebrations, you can see a number of exhibitions, taste excellent Rača wine or play sports at various sports tournaments.

In September, Rača will host e.g. Polemic and Medial Banana, Old School Brothers, Folklore Ensemble Economist, Gladiator musical band, Peter Bič Projekt, Heľenine oči, Cimbal Brothers, Banda, and Folklore Ensemble Technik. DJ Woodee or Janko Kulich will also make you dance. Competitions of the Rača Vineyards Association, wind music, sports tournaments, various exhibitions, varied commemorative items, stand sales, carousels for children, allegorical procession, wine and young wine tasting and many other attractions also have a fixed place in the programme. In short, a lot of fun, sports and music awaits you.

The above mentioned bands and the main programme will be at home on the stage in the amphitheatre in Knižka Valley, but you will have fun at various vintage venues in Rača – a scene with a manifold programme at the roundabout on Andrej Hlinka Square, traditional carousels for children, stands on Alster and Detva streets, the program in front of and in the German Cultural House, the Municipality Offices, the party tent on the Detva Street, in the garden of the Municipal House, in its courtyard and in it, in the Red Pressing Cellar and actually throughout all Rača. Local winemakers are waiting for visitors in Detva and Alster streets as well as in the amphitheatre in Knižka Valley.

You would enjoy traditional specialties of Rača, taste quality wines of the place or relax with folk music. At the degustations you can enjoy the Blaufränkisch, but also a number of other quality wines, there will also be numerous interesting accompanying events, such as examples of grape pressing or wine tasting, as well as competitions and draws for attractive prizes.

Exhibitions and vernissages of selected artists are held in the building of the local municipality, Kolonič Mansion, Municipal House at 249 Alster Street or in the German Cultural House. The exhibition of paintings by the author Gabriel Lovecký “Diversity” will be held at the Municipality Offices, the exhibition of the Rača Bobbin Lace Club in the German Cultural House, the exhibition of the photographer Viktor Szabo “Nature through the Eyes of the Photographer” in Kolonič Mansion and the exhibition of paintings by the painter Vojtech Polakovič in the wine tavern of the German Cultural House in the premises of Red Pressing Cellar. The exhibition of tasty fruits and vegetables, but also flowers of local growers and gardeners can be seen in the German Cultural House. Creations of skillfull women from the Bobbin Lace Club, along with examples of works, various procedures and techniques can be enjoyed in the German Cultural House, works of the Patchwork Guild associated with the sale of patchwork products will be presented in the courtyard of the Municipal House. During the vintage, the permanent expositions of the Rača Room of the local branch of Slovak Matica in the Municipal House and the memorial hall of Gen. M. R. Štefánik in the Firehouse are also accessible.

The most interesting parts of the programme lasting from Friday to Sunday will be Saturday’s allegorical procession from the Municipality Offices building to the amphitheatre in the KnižkaValley, which will move at 1:30 p.m., the opening of the vintage and the blessing of the harvest at 2 p.m., the evaluation of the competition for the largest and the most beautiful bunch of grapes of must and table varieties and the competition for the best younf wine at 2:30 p.m. or even a demonstration of grape pressing directed by the Rača Vineyards Association from 2:45 p.m. Afterwards, there will be space for folklore, ethno, pop, rock and disco.

No vintage in Rača cannot be better off without a genuine quality young wine and must, tasty delicacies and traditional craft and folk art products and souvenirs made of wood, leather and osiers. The stalls offer traditional specialties, quality young wine, wine, strudels, confectionery, gingerbread, roasted meats, sausages, loksha, potato pancakes, homemade chips, roasted chestnuts or toys and wait for their customers from Friday to Sunday evening. The vintage route with stalls leads down the aisles from Detva Street through Alster Street to Knižka Valley.

Several relaxation zones will be prepared for families with children and seniors. The children’s world can be found in J. M. Hurban Park, while the chill-out zone can be found in the Municipal House at 249 Alster Street. The carousels, an essential part of the vintage, will be at the swimming pool in Knižka Valley. You will also enjoy sports in the form of a karate competition Račiansky strapec, a chess tournament Račianske šachobranie, but also the 19th edition of the girls’ Vintage Volleyball Tournament or a 2. Liga football meeting between FK Rača and Spartak Myjava.

The second September weekend in Rača will belong to the grape harvest. Let yourselves be tempted by a lot of diverse entertainment, excellent food and quality drinks in the form of original Rača wines and honestly made young wines. Come and taste the artistry of Rača winemakers!

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Vintage is a traditional grape harvest celebrating viticulture and winery, whose roots in Rača date back to the times of the Roman legions. It is a celebration of the hard and arduous work of winegrowers and winemakers. Every year, winemakers and vintners of Rača ceremoniously hand over a harvest wreath to the mayor of the municipality on the stage in the Amphitheatre to show respect and gratitude for the harvest to the wine god Bacchus. This ceremony officially opens the 3-day vintage festival, which is one of the most sought-after events in this city district. This is also evidenced by its high attendance. The event enjoys the interest of both, visitors and the media. At the time of vintage, more than 150,000 domestic and foreign visitors usually visit Rača. In addition to the highest representatives of the state, regular guests of the vintage are also ambassadors, mayors of partner cities, self-governing regions administrators, maynors and mayors of surrounding city districts, towns and municipalities, as well as city and local deputies. A manifold cultural, accompanying and sports programme attracts all ages. In front of the German Cultural House, there is a programme aimed at families with children and seniors. The youth will find their way in the Amphitheatre in Knižka Valley.