As long as people have grown and harvested food, they have observed festivals of thanksgiving.

During these harvest festivals, people would make music and play sports and games. They would also hold a harvest parade.

We observe Thanksgiving on the 4 th Thursday of each November.

They have festivals celebrating the release of the new wine harvest on the 3 rd Thursday of each November.

This grape harvest celebration is called Beaujolais Nouveau. And unlike Thanksgiving, which is only celebrated here in the USA, Beaujolais Nouveau is celebrated all over France and in many wine-loving countries around the world.

 The Beaujolais region had always made a vin de l’année to celebrate the end of the harvest, but until WWII is was only for local consumption.

 This means it does not have to ferment as long as typical wines so it is available for consumption much sooner than other wines.

Then fermented into wine that is ready to drink within just 6-8 weeks after the harvest.

Georges Deboeuf saw the potential to make a lot of money by selling the Beaujolais wine within weeks of the grape harvest.

with a race to Paris carrying the first bottles of the new wine.

In Lyon, France they host the Beaujolympiades and roll the barrels of wine through town in a parade of music and fireworks. In Beaujeu, France (the capital of the Beaujolais region) the city hosts a massive party and parade called Sarmentelles.

About half of the Beaujolais Nouveau is exported to other countries. Japan holds a celebration where people actually swim in the wine! Behind Japan, Germany is one of the biggest markets to celebrate the Beaujolais Nouveau wine.

At the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada actors dress up and act out the “I love Lucy” grape squashing scene in honor of Beaujolais Nouveau It is also highly promoted in the United States as a drink for Thanksgiving, boasting that it tastes great with turkey. Since Thanksgiving is exactly one week after the Beaujolais wine is released, it fits with the marketing plan quite well.