Festival Time!

A shorter walk today, as we reach our next rest stop, and a rest day tomorrow, wading through buoyant celebrations. Lorgrono is celebrating the weeklong festival of San Mateo, which seems to have merged with a general celebration of La Rioja wine and all that comes with it. The city is the capital of the small but prosperous Rioja province and we found it in full swing.  

Parades of brass bands, complete with Sousaphones and drums, take over the streets, followed by dancing children and their parents. In all the main squares are degustation tables, where, for 2 euros, one receives a paper token, 

which is immediately handed back to someone else in exchange for a small plate of food. At one station it might be tuna and roasted red peppers in baguette, at another it might be minced pork with a hunk of bread, or it might be a slice of bread heaped with slices of roast duck and apple sauce. Every small dish seemed to include meat and bread, but also wine. You might be handed a small bottle of wine, or have a choice of a beaker of wine or of water.

There were areas of the city set up for bands or for children’s crafts and activities or for wine tasting. Individual performers set up in smaller squares, helium balloons in dozens of characters were sold, and giant puppets were set up, presumably meant to depict either historical characters or local leaders. And then another band would come along. This goes on all day and late into the night, every day for a week. It made our accommodation cost more than expected, but it added a lot of fun to be part of. And a lot of wine was enjoyed!