Harvest celebrations are popular all around the world, and Iran is no exception. In addition to the usual national holidays, Iranians also celebrate the time of harvest. The Grape Festival is one of long standing folk traditions of our country, performed in the regions where grapevines are cultivated.

During the pre-Islamic ages, the tradition has been known by the locals as “Shani Der”. “Shani” is the name of an especially fine variety of grapes harvested in the western parts of the country and specially West Azerbaijan province, and “Der” means “to harvest”. The “Shani Der” festival was observed in the region to celebrate the harvest of grapevine and traditional grape treading for the preparation of grape juice and grape syrup. For a long time after the emergence of Islam, the occasion was mainly celebrated by the Armenian and Christian population of the region.

Aiming to cherish the old ethnic customs and restore the ancient Iranian culture and traditions, Bari has reopened this interesting festival in the region. At this annual celebration, which is enthusiastically welcomed by the locals, the traditional grape syrup is made during a beautiful local ceremony.

The festival begins with local music, played on a variety of traditional wind instruments and drums. Wearing traditional costumes and performing symbolic group dances, the participants fill special grape treading casks with loads of fresh grapes, in tune with the three stages of music symbolizing the rise, the peak and the fall. The grape treading competition between different groups takes place in the next stage, where the competitors squash the grapes in the casks to the tune of the music to extract the juice. The group with the most extracted grape juice is awarded at the end of the ceremony.

Afterwards, men and women in traditional costumes treat the audience to grape juice offered in small earthenware bowls and jugs. Both earthenware and jugs are symbols of nature and earth in the region.

All through the festival, the music groups play pieces of Azerbaijani and Iranian classic music, which contributes to the special traditional ambiance of the occasion.

Cultural and literary personalities are also invited to speak about the traditional grape festival and its historical and cultural background, providing people with extensive and helpful information to help preserve the beautiful ancient traditions of the great land of Iran.