Crowds of over 5,000 people from near and far visit the historic town of Murphys California, to celebrate the beginning of the wine harvest season. This exciting all-day event takes place on the first Saturday in October each year, and includes the Gold Rush Street Fair lining Main Street with over 100 outside vendors. Now in its 26th year, the Calaveras Grape Stomp has grown to include 120 teams vying to be known as “Champion of the Juice” or winner of the “Best Costume” award. Come witness the Largest and Oldest Grape Stomp Competition in California! Free admission and a whole lotta fun! 

WHAT IS A GRAPE STOMP? During the stomp, teams of two, many with creative names and costumes, compete to collect the most juice out of 25 pounds of grapes in three-minute heats. Teams consist of a “stomper,” who stands in half a wine barrel with the grapes, and a “swabber, or mucker” who stands outside the barrel and reaches in to help flow the juice out of a drain spout. Teams are encouraged to appear in costume and prizes are awarded based on originality, design and effort. Previous winners include the “Mucker Truckers“, “Grapeful Dead” and the “Cork Fungus Fairies”. The most anticipated heat of the day is the Winemakers Heat where local winemakers come out to compete in a friendly rivalry for most juice stomped and the Presidents Cup. Competitions are highly encouraged between businesses, sponsors, organizations and friends and pre-registration is strongly recommended as stomp competitions sell out well before the event.

THINGS TO DO: Music, photo booth, family fun events, food, wine and beer booths, street fair activities to enjoy from 10:00-5:00. Admission to the Grape Stomp and Street Fair is free. Attendees enjoy shopping - quality arts and crafts, antiques, handcrafted goods, jewelry, clothing, collectibles and food booths offer wares for sale in addition to Murphys’ multitude of one-of-a-kind specialty shops, restaurants and tasting rooms that line Main Street. Plan a long weekend in Murphys and enjoy 30 tasting rooms  and vineyard properties! 

The Calaveras Winegrape Alliance is a non-profit organization supporting family run wineries with educational and marketing services. We host a silent and live auction at the Grape Stomp that includes donations from local and regional supporters such as Bear Valley Ski Resort, Saddle Creek Golf Resort, Murphys Historic Hotel, local wineries and winemaker event tickets. All proceeds from the silent and live auction are distributed back to local community organizations and help fund the CWA high school scholarship program.