Stellenbosch is set to burst with colour and festivity on Saturday, 27 January, as the annual Harvest Parade takes off.
A cherished event on the wine calendar, this lively procession features marching bands, minstrels, farmers, winemakers and workers, all joining forces on floats, trucks and tractors.
The spectacle makes its way through the iconic oak-lined avenues, finishing in a ceremony at the town hall to bless the upcoming harvest with joyous spirits.
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The parade, a time-honoured tradition observed in farming regions worldwide, symbolises gratitude for past harvests and seeks blessings for the new agricultural season.
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South Africa, with a rich winemaking history, has marked 365 wine grape harvests, a distinction celebrated annually on 2 February, tracing back to the inaugural fruit arrival in a test vineyard at the Cape in 1659.
Elmarie Rabe, manager of Stellenbosch Wine Routes, notes, ‘Harvest is a time of elevated activity and infectious excitement on our farms. The parade is not only symbolic but brings our wine story to life, reaching the people and restaurants where these wines are eventually enjoyed.’
The procession kicks off at 9am from the Toy and Miniature Museum on Market Street, going through Alexander, Bird, Church and Plein Streets, arriving at the town hall by 9:30am for the official harvest blessing.
Following the ceremony, the parade retraces its steps, creating a loop through the town.
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Picture: Supplied