Celebrate the Grape Harvest in Lima During Surco’s Vendimia Festival
Although Peru’s main Vendimia Festival takes place in Ica, Lima’s Surco neighborhood offers a smaller version for locals and visitors in Lima. The historically agricultural district celebrates grapes and all its derivatives in a fun multiday festival that begins with the Vendimia Queen 2014 competition. Before the crown is passed from last year’s queen to this year’s, all of the aspirants will be featured during the First Grand Parade and will perform the traditional stepping of the grapes. This year’s festival will take place from March 13th through 16th.
Surco has been celebrating Vendimia since 1938, and it’s considered to be one of the district’s most representative festivals. There will be wine exhibits and tours, contests between local bodegas, and tastings, as well as a food fair highlighting the regional cuisine of Peru’s desert coast, which you can sample alongside some excellent wines or cachina.
41 different restaurants participated in last 
year’s event. Visitor can try local variations of the region’s creole cuisine, everything from a heavy Surco breakfast (the desayuno surcano includes a Surco tamal, fried pork and sweet potato, coffee and wine) to the marinated beef heart kabobs known as anticuchos.
Live concerts and shows are presented by both national and international artists. Last year’s event included Latin stars such as Tito Nieves, Libido, Cecilia Barraza, and Jean Paul Strauss. Attendants can expect to hear the música criolla of the coast as well as Salsa, Cumbia, and Rock bands.
The main parade is known as the Gran Corso del Festival de la Vendimia. Aside from floats and vibrant costumes, you’ll be able to watch traditional folkloric dances from all over Peru.
The vineyards of Surco are the oldest in Lima, in colonial times its residents dedicated themselves to agricultura, due to finding themselves seated in one of the sunniest and most fertile in Lima. It was Francisco de Caravantes, one of the first conquistadores who sent for vines from Spain in 1551 and planted them outside the city walls. The first plants were so treasured that they were guarded by armed men day and night.
While in Lima…
Most travelers enter Peru through Lima, but those of you who entered by crossing the Peru – Bolivia border can either fly or take a bus to the City of Kings. For transport assistance or recommendations, Pirwa Travel Service can help. You can reach them at pirwatravel@gmail.com. Once in Lima, take advantage of Pirwa Inclan B&B‘s location in the seaside Miraflores district, neighboring Surco. Finally, make sure to check out our post on what to do while visiting Lima!