What began life as a disappointment has turned into a tourism success for Bérchules in the Alpujarra.

Around 10,000 people turned up for this very singular New Year’s celebration, right in the heart of the Alpujarra, right in the middle of summer. Around 9,000 bags containing twelve grapes were distributed so that revellers could usher in the ‘New Year’ but on the weekend of the 3rd/4th of August.

The Guardia Civil had to sort out a couple of scraps early Sunday morning between the younger revellers, who were the worse for drink, but in general everybody just had a good time without causing any problems.

This unique celebration began on the 31st of December, 1994. On that fateful night there was a power cut and the normal festive activities were cancelled. Everybody was so disappointed that somebody came up with the idea of celebrating the beginning of 1995 in August of that same year. Since then, the village, which attracts more and more tourists for the occasion, celebrates New Year’s Eve on the 1st Saturday of August.

Now you know for next year.

(News: Berchules, Alpujarra, Granada, Andalucia)