Two weeks in Jerez
Photo from Diario de Jerez, the local newspaper
I wrote the best post ever about what to do in Jerez. Everyone says so. They say no one knows Jerez like me. They asked me to be president of Jerez, I said no.
Delusions of Trumpen stupor aside, I’m beginning to get a feel for the way this town operates. There’s an annual cycle to the culture and its celebrations. It’s built around the seasons and the food that goes with them. Built around traditions. The Holy Trinity of Jerezano culture is flamenco, wine and horses, so when you add these to Holy Week at Easter, Three Kings Day, zambombas and the fantastic food and drink culture, the sum is a veritable rainbow of things to do throughout the year, each one vastly different but somehow still anchored to a genuine Spanish root. The festivals in Jerez (and in most other Spanish cities for that matter) come in giant waves, with only a few weeks off in between to catch your breath, resuscitate your bank balance and regenerate some liver cells.
By contrast, in Australia we tend to get calendarial blips of activity separated in time by prolonged festive doldrums. These events aren’t really derived from anything cultural, except perhaps for the occasional food and wine weekend, and I guess the odd political demonstration, such is the modern Australian idea of fun. They also tend to be too pricey for many, whether because of exorbitant ticket prices or the fact that food and drink costs an arm and a leg. Sure, you can always find some live music at a local pub to listen to – but it will be indoors on sticky carpets, there will likely be a cover charge, and a glass of wine will cost the Aussie equivalent of €8.
At the beginning of September the Vendimia festival began in Jerez, the celebration of the annual grape harvest. What followed was two weeks of free daily events, and so here are some examples of what happens during a typical Jerez festival, and also of what a shit photographer I am (in my defence, I’d rather watch something than film it, so not a lot of thought goes into my photo-taking efforts).
Thursday
Jerez Cathedral is a magnificent structure on the southern border of the city and the location for the official launch of Vendimia. It’s a sight to behold, with music, dancers and singers bringing in the event with customary aplomb. The thing is, because the cathedral is perched on a steep hillock, only a handful of early arrivers get a good view. The solution is obvious: a giant TV screen on the street below displays the whole show to the rest of us. Here are some close-up shots, most of which we didn’t take because we couldn’t get anywhere near it.
It was fun just wandering around the streets. Vendimia is a big deal and the people come out in force to kick up their heels and get stuck in to previous years’ vintages.
Later that evening we went to a wine tasting event, this time – unusually – for reds and whites and not sherry.
Twenty or so stalls arranged in the corridors surrounding the massive courtyard proffered their wares and I thought it would be rude to refuse. This was premium stuff but for €2 or €3 for a small glass it was extremely good value (a glass of house wine in a bar is around €3). Live music, snacks, unique location. It was hard to leave, mainly because by 11 pm I was unable to find the door.
Friday
Plaza Belén is a vast outdoor space where they routinely hold free concerts in the evenings, yet for some reason no one in this town seems to own roller blades or a skateboard for when it’s empty. Tonight’s show was a curious lineup of Spanish rock bands, perhaps more suited to an older crowd (of which I have junior membership but not full privileges). If it had been an English/American/Australian equivalent concert, we’d have had cover versions of Bill Haley & his Comets, Frankie Valli, and The Supremes – it was that kind of vibe. As nice as it was, perched on a bench nibbling at an extraordinary lasagna from one of the city’s few Italian restaurants and drinking €2 beers, our audience participation capability just wasn't up to scratch and we went home quite early. To be fair, I’d have walked out on Bill Haley too.
Saturday
We spent an hour on Saturday evening watching an amazing Italian band, one of five acts on the card that night. This time we’re in Plaza del Banco (there's an old bank on the corner), which boasts one of the biggest fig trees I’ve ever seen as a centrepiece. Its 30-metre-diameter canopy lowers the daytime temperature considerably, so it’s also a popular venue for daytime markets &c. &c, which is oldy-worldy for etc. etc.
Tuesday
Running for the duration of Vendimia, again at the Cloisters was an exhibition of local artists. They just stood in a row for eight hours a day, not saying anything, and you weren’t allowed to touch them. Just kidding. It was an exhibition of their paintings, not the artists themselves. Of course entry was free, and during your visit you could also take a better look at the magnificent building.
Thursday
Two years ago we lived in San Sebastián when the Tour de France came through, just another example of how a group of men in lycra can cause major disruptions to traffic flow. So it was pretty cool to see a stage of La Vuelta (The Lap) arrive in Jerez. Today’s 18th stage was a time trial, with 130 riders pedalling off a launching ramp in El Puerto de Santa Maria, some 30 kilometres away, at one-minute intervals, arriving in Jerez faster than the train can.
Also Thursday
Throughout the festival, local sherry producers are each given an evening at the Alcázar (the city’s old fort) to strut their stuff and explain it at you along the way. In Spanish, obviously, so it was time to break out the phones. Discreetly placed on the table in front of us, the Translate app listened and explained in quiet real-time text most of what was being said. (This is an instance of sheer hypocrisy on my part because I’d like to see AI wiped off the face of the already doomed Earth.) It turns out that what was being said was the same guff as gets said at just about every other talk on wine anywhere in the world. It’s not a bad way to fall asleep.
The menu was a degustation of five sherries, each accompanied by a dish, with a guy on guitar quietly playing while we ate. Bloody wonderful night. A few of these shots are from last year’s event.
Saturday
The huge plaza that surrounds the Alcázar on two sides is reserved for the biggest of events, where the person-to-toilet ratio is at its worst (the toilet situation isn’t a problem for us – we can get to our house for a leak and back in under 10 minutes, not including leak time). This show was a fusion of flamenco and rock music. I got a hotdog.
Friday
Okay, this is nearly a week later, but the annual horse parade does coincide with the end of the harvest festival. The Parada Hípica features 100 horses and riders and 20 carriages belonging to esteemed groups including the Royal Guard, the equestrian school, the cavalry squadrons of the national, civil and local police, and carriage-driving clubs, parading through Centro Jerez.
It’s odd to be writing so much about this single two-week block. Vendimia is important but it’s nowhere near as big as festivals like Fería, Holy Week, or zambombas, which this year is set to last a whopping six weeks of drumming, singing and drinking (and that’s just me). Plus I haven’t even listed a bunch of other events, some of which are full-blown ticketed shows and fashion parades.
But hopefully this gives you an idea of how having ‘stuff to do’ is so valued by Jerezanos and the Spanish in general. It tips the work/life balance well in favour of the latter, which is as it should be, I reckon.
