This fiesta in Betanzos, Galicia, dates back to the end of the 19th century, when young people would gather at the Campo dos Caneiros, a grassy field on the edge of the Mandeo River, for an outdoor meal after a celebration in honor of the local patron saint, San Roque, every August. Nowadays, the boat trip aboard boats typical of Betanzos, known as “caneiros,” is the most anticipated part of the celebration.
Coca-Cola has been replaced with red wine that is distributed indiscriminately to all, coloring their moods as well as their shirts, many of which are ripped off during the merriment. Soaker guns are loaded with wine for a free-for-all battle till dark, and many wine-soaked combatants end up swimming in the Mandeo river, whether they meant to or not!
