Festival Internacional de la Vendimia (Grape Harvest Festival)

Ica's grape harvest and pisco celebration, ten days of vineyard tradition, parades, and a beauty pageant crowning the festival queen

  • When: March (movable, typically ~10 days, e.g. March 7-17)
  • Category: Festivity

The Festival Internacional de la Vendimia (International Grape Harvest Festival), one of Peru's oldest and largest agricultural festivals, celebrates Ica's grape, wine, and pisco harvest with roughly ten days of cultural and gastronomic programming. Traditions include visits to local vineyards and bodegas, the ceremonial 'pisa de uva' (grape stomping) in Ica's fairgrounds, the symbolic 'ñapa' ritual (an extra offering of grapes for good luck), and the election and coronation of the Reina de la Vendimia (Harvest Queen), who leads the festival's central parade.

Highlights

  • The 'pisa de uva' (grape stomping): a hands-on reenactment of traditional grape pressing held in Ica's fairgrounds, open for visitors to watch or join
  • Election and coronation of the Reina de la Vendimia (Harvest Queen), with candidates touring Ica's wine and pisco bodegas beforehand as part of the competition
  • Visits to working vineyards and bodegas around Ica, learning firsthand how pisco, wine, and cachina (fresh fermented grape juice) are made
  • A central parade and day of festivities on the festival's main day, typically declared a regional non-working holiday in Ica
  • The 'ñapa' tradition — a traditional extra measure of grapes given as a gesture of generosity and good luck, rooted in the region's harvest customs
  • A broad cultural and culinary program spanning roughly ten days, including craft and food fairs showcasing Ica's desert-oasis produce

Ideal for

  • Wine and pisco enthusiasts wanting to see the harvest and production process up close
  • Travelers who enjoy festival pageantry — parades, coronations, and folk traditions
  • Visitors combining Ica with nearby Huacachina and Paracas for a desert-coast itinerary timed to March
  • Food and drink travelers interested in tasting fresh cachina and regional pisco varieties during harvest season

Practical information

Dates and locations
Held annually in Ica, typically over roughly ten days in early-to-mid March; the grape stomping usually takes place a few days before the central day, with the main day — a regional holiday in Ica — falling around mid-March. The queen's election and coronation typically take place shortly before the festival opens.
Crowds and logistics
Ica city and its fairgrounds get busy during the festival, especially on the central day and the grape-stomping event, but crowds are more manageable than Peru's largest highland festivals.
Tips for watching well
Plan bodega visits for the days before the main parade when tours and tastings are easiest to arrange; arrive early to the fairgrounds for the pisa de uva, and check the year's published program since exact dates shift slightly year to year.
Booking ahead
March coincides with continued warm desert-coast weather and regional holiday travel around the festival's main day, so it's worth booking Ica and Huacachina accommodation a few weeks ahead, especially for the central weekend.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Festival Internacional de la Vendimia?

It's Ica's international grape harvest festival, one of Peru's most established agricultural celebrations, honoring the region's grape, wine, and pisco harvest with parades, bodega visits, grape-stomping, and the crowning of a Harvest Queen.

When and where does it take place?

It's held in Ica, on Peru's south-central desert coast, typically for about ten days in early-to-mid March, with the central day usually falling around mid-March and declared a regional holiday.

Do I need to book tickets for the main events?

The grape stomping, parades, and street events are generally open to the public without tickets; bodega tours and tastings are best arranged or reserved in advance, especially during the busy festival window.

How crowded or demanding is it to attend?

It draws solid crowds, especially on the central day, but is generally easier to navigate than Peru's largest highland festivals — a good option for travelers who want festive atmosphere without extreme crowding.

Should Lo Mejor de Peru guests book ahead for next year's Vendimia?

Yes — booking Ica-area accommodation a few weeks in advance is advisable for the festival's central days, since regional holiday travel and bodega tours add to normal demand during this window.