Festa da Uva (Grape Festival)

The Festa da Uva is Caxias do Sul's most famous event — a biennial celebration of the grape harvest and Italian heritage held every two years since 1931. The festival takes place at the Parque Fernando Ferrari on the edge of the city and runs for roughly a month in February and March (even-numbered years). Events include wine tastings, grape-stomping demonstrations, food stalls selling galeto (grilled young chicken), polenta, and pasta, and a spectacular parade through the city streets.

Even in the years when the festival is not running, the Parque Fernando Ferrari hosts smaller wine events throughout the year. The festival grounds include a permanent pavilion and exhibition spaces. If you are visiting in a festival year, book accommodation well in advance — the city fills completely during the main weekend events.

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A story
The first Festa da Uva was held in 1931, during the Depression years, when local winemakers needed a way to promote their product and boost morale in a community hit by falling prices. The festival has been held every two years since, interrupted only by World War II. Over ninety years, what began as a local agricultural fair has grown into one of the largest events in southern Brazil, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and showcasing a wine industry that has evolved far beyond the settlers' original table wine traditions.

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