Harvest Party Is Here: 5 Ways to Celebrate

Harvest is a season worth celebrating. With another growing season complete and a new vintage taking shape, it’s time to gather around the table, open a bottle of Virginia Wine and enjoy what’s grown and made close to home.

On October 17, Virginia Wine Harvest Party brings that spirit to life through seasonal recipes, local wine pairings and gatherings across Wine Country. Here are five ways to join the celebration.

1. Celebrate the Tradition

For nearly four decades, October has been dedicated to celebrating Virginia Wine. Since 1988, Virginia Wine Month has recognized the wines, people and places that make the state’s wine industry special.

At the heart of the celebration is Harvest Party, a day to recognize the growers, winemakers and traditions behind every bottle. Whether gathering at a winery or celebrating at home, it’s a time to raise a glass to another Virginia harvest.

Planning a celebration of your own? Find inspiration with our How to Host a Harvest Party tips.

2. Bring Harvest to the Table

A great Harvest Party begins with good food and Virginia Wine.

The 2026 Harvest Party Cookbook brings together seasonal recipes and featured Virginia Wine pairings, offering inspiration for a harvest-inspired gathering.

From a full dinner with friends to a simple seasonal dish, the Cookbook makes it easy to bring local flavors to the table. Choose a recipe, pour its featured pairing and make the celebration your own.

Explore the Harvest Party Cookbook

3. Celebrate in Wine Country

There’s no better time to experience Virginia Wine Country than during a harvest celebration. On October 17, wineries across the state are celebrating Harvest Party with special events and experiences. It’s an opportunity to enjoy the season where it all begins, surrounded by vineyards, fall scenery and the people behind Virginia Wine.

Make an afternoon of it with a tasting, gather friends for a winery event or discover somewhere new to celebrate.

Find a Harvest Party Event

4. Open a Bottle of Virginia Wine

At the heart of every Harvest Party is a bottle of Virginia Wine. Whether it’s a familiar favorite or something new, the occasion is an opportunity to explore the wines grown and made across the state. From crisp whites to bold reds, there’s a Virginia Wine for every harvest table.

Choose a bottle from a local winery, pair it with something seasonal and share it with good company. It’s a simple way to celebrate the craftsmanship, character and places behind every glass.

Explore Virginia Wineries

5. Share Your Harvest Party

This year, there’s another reason to bring the Harvest Party Cookbook to life.

The 2026 Harvest Party Cookbook Contest invites home cooks to prepare a featured recipe with its Virginia Wine pairing for a chance to win a gift card to Pinky’s RVA or The Shack VA, two restaurants featured in this year’s Cookbook.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Choose a recipe from the 2026 Harvest Party Cookbook.
2. Make the dish with its featured Virginia Wine pairing.
3. Snap a photo of the recipe and pairing.
4. Post the photo on social media and tag @vawine, or email it to information@virginiawine.org by October 18.

Bring the recipe to life, pour the pairing and share a little piece of Virginia’s harvest.

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Raise a Glass to Harvest

However Harvest Party takes shape, the heart of the celebration remains the same: Virginia Wine, local flavors and the people who bring them together.

On October 17, open a bottle grown close to home and celebrate another season in Virginia Wine Country.