Jerez`s sherry festival takes place on the first Saturday of September every year as part of `Las Fiestas de la Vendimia y Otoño.`

This is a three week party involving sherry, horses and flamenco. The origin of the festival is the annual celebration of the grape harvest. Jerez de La Frontera, one of Spain`s three sherry producing towns, celebrates its wine harvest with an abundance of color and joie de vivre on the weekend closest to 8th September, with the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady. The festivities kick off with a flying start as the Andalucian, usually eye-catching; queen of the vintage occupies her seat of honor with her handmaidens in tow. This queen of sherry is raised onto her glorious wagon draped with all manner of pleats, flora and succulent grapes. Within a very short time children tail the cart hoping to catch sweets and goodies tossed into the air from mask-wearing courtiers. The masses converge on the Plaza de Arenal to pay further respects to the queen as the bodegas (sherry houses) let the sherry flow.

Be sure to stick around for a packed program of parties, bullfights, motorcycle races, exhibitions, concerts and flamenco dancers; and not to forget the church mass followed by the blessing of the vines.