Wine Harvest Festival and Fiesta San Mateo in Logroño

I went to this last year. Great time, everyone partying until about 05:00. Lots of marching bands, drum corp, local groups playing in various plazas. We enjoyed this fest a lot.
Make sure you have a hotel with rooms that aren't above the street or a bar. It is super loud all night long.

Burgos has a medieval fest in late Sept. that I can also recommend visiting.

Jo how many days would you suggest for the festival?
Any hotel you would recommend?
Did you drive or take the train?

This is the Fiesta program for last year's San Mateos. As you can see there is a lot to do.
Three things I would highlight: the fireworks, the degustacións and certamen de la chuleta al sarmiento.
In the "certamen de la chuleta al sarmiento", the pena takes over the Plaza del Mercado and they barbecue several hundred kilos of lamb chops over sarmientos, which are dried grapevines. The whole rest of the day the plaza smells like barbecued lamb chops.

Ms Jo is has a point about the hotels, but if you are in a hotel outside of the Casco Antiguo you should be okay.

San Mateo is a harvest festival, and in Logroño it is grapes, but they also celebrate San Mateo in other cities, like Oviedo, Cuenca, or Vallalodid

Ann, I was walking the Camino and just happened to be in Logrono on one of the days of the fest. So, no car or train.
One day of this kind of fest was enough for me. Fun to watch the parade, listen to the bands and people watch.

That must have been a huge contrast from the Camino! I think we may stick to Toledo and Salamanca as we like wine nut not huge drinkers. What was your route that you passed Logrono? I didnt realize it was on the Camino.

Yes, Logrono is on the Camino Frances.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-places/caminos/camino-frances

The easiest train from Salamanca to Logrono requires a 6:00 a.m. departure, but then you get just one connection in Valladolid. Later connections via Madrid require transferring by another local train/subway between Chamartin and P. Atocha stations.

Sounds like the festival will keep you well entertained but you might also enjoy these articles about the regular tapas supply:

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2001/jan/20/spain.guardiansaturdaytravelsection
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2009/aug/01/logrono-tapas-bars-spain-food

Thanks for the replies.
6am is early.
Might be better to go back to Madrid.
We are doing Toledo and Salamanca and order isn't important.

Ann, the bus is faster, and probably cheaper.

Alsa buslines has an 11:00 bus that gets you to Logroño at 15:30. It goes through Burgos, and you avoid Madrid completely.

You might want to stop in Burgos too. Magnificent cathedral and the Evolution museum is excellent.
They were having a wonderful medieval festival there, with parades, lots of stands selling crafts, food, etc. and beautifully decorated horses. This was the weekend 3 -4 Oct. in 2015.