VINTAGE FESTIVAL

'Bagbozumu' (vintage) is the name given to grape harvest. August and September are the months of the grape harvest. The grape harvest festival, prepared by the Bozcaada Municipality each year on the first weekend of September has become a traditional celebration on the island.

The festival, which continues for 2 days, starts with a symbolical grape harvest in the vineyards of the island’s wine makers. People get on tractors together with the vineyard labourers to go to the vineyards. There, people learn the details of grape harvesting and collect the grapes together. The harvested grapes are put in panniers carried to the ceremony area on donkey back and by horse and carriage for the sake of the old days as well as by tractors. After the opening ceremony, grapes are distributed to the public.

Throughout the festivals wine makers offer their wines to be tasted at the stands they have opened for this occasion. Many concerts are given at the castle. What’s more, two contests are prepared as part of the festival. One of them is for choosing the grape beauty among the young girls of the island, and the other one is for choosing the tastiest sweet white grape (cavus) of the island.