Three days in the first week of October

The people of Cingianolovetheir wine so much that they do their best to celebrate it every day. They are not drunk, they are simply proud of the good wine this area has produced for centuries-and no event captures this pride, passion and incredible heritage better than the Grape Festival.

Founded in 1966, the main purpose of the festival is to promote the excellent quality of grapes grown in the area and the wines of unquestionable quality produced from them. During the festival, the town’s wineries are opened and both locals and tourists line up to taste the wines, often paired with gourmet snacks made with only the finest local ingredients.

But this festival is not only about wine. Yes, there are lectures by expert sommeliers, many tastings and wine competitions, but there is also a poetry contest, a raffle with local products up for grabs, talks by high school students on the history of Cinigiano, and glamorous dinners that pair local wines with reinvented culinary classics.

Then there is music: cover bands, reggae, traditional folk songs, local groups, and any other group that can play a tune!

There is also a craft market on Saturday, a traveling show with jugglers and free musicals right in the main square.

In short, there is so much to do during this festival that you won’t know where to look!

And determined to go out with a bang, the festival ends with a parade of floats. More than 100 residents of Molino, Pescina and Cassero dance and sing in the streets in period costumes. They are accompanied by beautiful, giant floats that took all year to make and usually depict famous cartoon characters or scenes from local folklore.

It is impossible not to get caught up in the fun of a festival that began with the intention of celebrating a prized grape and exploded into three days of music, dancing and color.

The exact dates of the festival change every year, so for more information, check the Grape Festival website