The tradition started five years ago, when the grape pickers ('brači') from Malečnik set up a wind rattle; they will start picking grapes of the old vine a month from now.
The essential parts of the wind rattle were brough to the Drava embankment by a horse and cart. Under careful supervision of the city wine grower, the Maribor Wine Queen, and the mayor the wind rattle was set up. The highest representatives of the Naša republika Prlekije, i.e. Our republic Prlekija, were present as well – without them no wind rattles would be heard in Maribor.
"We smart people from Prlekija have found out that Maribor does not have a recognisable story including a wind rattle, so we set up the first one at Piramida," Milan Belec, the president of the Prlekija Republic, explained for RTV Slovenija. The wind rattle will be well protected from all kind of thieves by 95 grapes – that's the number of grapes the Old Vine bore this year, the city wine grower told us, and announced that the grape harvest will take place on October 4.
A number of events at Piramida
After the event in front of the House of the Old Vine the entire company went to Piramida, and set up another wind rattle. This year Piramida came to life with a number of events, the paths have been tended, lightning provided, and a mobile pavilion was erected. Also during autumn lively happening is expected there. Visitors will be able to taste roasted chestnuts and must, and listen to a number of concerts. For the first time the city will organize grape harvest there as well, while the association of Maribor vintners will produce city wine.
K. K., Tatjana Kren (Televizija Slovenija)
Translated by G. K.