Thousands attended the Fest Of The Grape Sunday in Oliver

Photo: Monique Tamminga

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Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga Photo: Monique Tamminga

 

For the 23 years the Festival of the Grape has taken place in Oliver, the ‘Babushka Queens’ have entered a team in the grape stomping competition.

“We are the longest running stomping team to never win,” laughed Monica, who along with teammate Klaudia have squashed grapes between their toes every year the festival has existed. 

“When we first started stomping in the festival we were excited when 300 people came out,” said Monica, at Sunday’s festival held at Oliver Community Park.

“Now there are thousands and it’s an international sensation. We just love it.”

“I wear my lucky skirt each stomp,” said Klaudia, who brought a poster showing a newspaper clipping of her stomping grapes 20 years ago and another of her printed in more recent years.

Close to 5,000 people took in the 23rd Festival of the Grape, with the grape stomp drawing participants from as far as Newfoundland and Ontario.

“This year we have 30 teams participating in the grape stomp. We just couldn’t be happier with the turnout and the weather is perfect,” said Jennifer Busmann, executive director of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association.  “In year 11 we had snow and last year it was a bit rainy. These sunny skies are bringing in one of our largest crowds yet.”

“The Festival of the Grape is the kick-off to the Fall Wine Festival. What’s great about it is that we are one of the only family-friendly events of the fall wine festival. We held the Cask and Keg on Saturday but that was for adults only.”

The thousands who took in Sunday’s fun got to sample more than 50 B.C. wines, dance to live music, and cheer on the grape stomp. In addition, there were plenty of food trucks to sample from, an interactive Kids Zone and an artisan market and art show.

“The highlight each year has got to go to the grape stomp,” said Busmann. “We get the best costumes and everybody really gets into it.”

Each stomp team is given a barrel containing 40 pounds of grapes. Using their bare feet, the participants aim to stomp and squish as many grapes as they can in five minutes. 

On Sunday, most teams averaged about 10 to 12 pounds of juice from five minutes of stomping. 

Teams who syphon off the most juice advance to the finals, where they stomp 60 pounds of grapes and squish their way to victory of being named the 2019 Grape Stomp champions.

Inniskillin Winery supplied the grapes for the stomp. 

Most teams dressed up, including the Juicy Lucys from Calgary who transformed into the iconic Lucille Ball, while the Somme Grape Friends from the Coast dressed in neon 80s spandex while the Brits on Holiday wore British-themed hats and clothing.

The Nut Crackers are also one of the original teams who have entered since the festival began. They’ve been crushing it ever since. They won in 2014, 2015 and 2017.