Lock, stock and wine barrel: 2019 Harvest Parade

One thing Americans do well is a harvest festival.

In agricultural areas, these festivals are commonplace and honour farmers and crops.

On February 2 Stellenbosch will come alive for the 2019 Harvest Parade – and there’s reason to be excited.

Stellenbosch Wine Routes manager Elmarie Rabe said: “Stellenbosch is the heartland of South African wine, which gives special significance to the harvest parade. It’s about celebrating the bounty that harvest brings, but also the spirit of goodwill that prevails, despite the season’s physical demands.”

Fanfare aside, the parade draws back the curtain and celebrates the workers and their efforts to help wine get from vine to bottle.

The 2019 Harvest Parade will be hosted with the support of the Stellenbosch municipality and sees the participation of wineries like Kleine Zalze, Clos Malverne, Middelvlei, Kaapzicht, Beyerskloof and L’Avenir.

It’s interesting when an entire industry gets involved in something like this.

The craft expo show opens at the end of the parade and takes place in collaboration with the Stellenbosch Agricultural Society at the town hall. It offers visitors handmade homeware, including preserves and baked goods – again supporting the local community.

If you want to find out if 2019 is going to be a grape year and you’re in Stellenbosch, make sure to go and support the unsung workers keeping the wine industry lively.

For more information visit wineroute.co.za

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