If you’ve ever wondered why the third Thursday of November has people in parts of the UK popping corks before sunrise, welcome to Beaujolais Day – a French wine tradition that’s somehow become one of the biggest annual blowouts.
But while France celebrates with fireworks and the UK goes all-in with Champagne-level enthusiasm, Ireland has remained strangely quiet.
And honestly? We’re missing a trick.
Welcome to Beaujolais Day – a French wine tradition that’s somehow become one of the biggest annual blowouts. Pic: Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images
First: What is Beaujolais Day?
Beaujolais Day marks the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, the year’s first wine from the Beaujolais region of France.
By law, it cannot be sold before 00:01 on the third Thursday in November, meaning wine lovers gather at the stroke of midnight to taste the very first bottles of the harvest.
The tradition became even more iconic in the 1970s thanks to a chaotic annual race to bring the wine from France to London – a challenge still running today and raising millions for charity.
According to the BBC, organisers call it ‘a mad British tradition’ that requires careful planning to keep things safe.
But while France celebrates with fireworks and the UK goes all-in with Champagne-level enthusiasm, Ireland has remained strangely quiet. Pic: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images
Why Swansea (Specifically) Treats It Like Christmas
While Yorkshire and Cardiff host events, Swansea has turned Beaujolais Day into something closer to a city-wide festival, complete with sold-out lunches, early-morning glam appointments and queues outside bars long before midday.
One salon owner told the BBC: ‘Beaujolais Day is our busiest time of year, we book months in advance.’
Another described it as ‘Swansea’s Christmas Day’ – and the city’s hotels and bars agree, reporting booming business and massive footfall.
How it felt being barstaff on Swansea’s most important holiday – Beaujolais Day pic.twitter.com/Zh2r9Itz0X
— Gwdihŵ 🦉 (@youwouldknow) November 16, 2023
So… Why Don’t We Celebrate It in Ireland?
Ireland loves a seasonal celebration. We’ve fully embraced Oktoberfest, Bastille Day, Paddy’s Day (obviously), and even Galentine’s Day – but Beaujolais Day, with its mix of wine, music, food and a guaranteed Thursday night out, is basically made for us.
Here’s why an Irish version makes perfect sense:
1. It’s a ready-made winter warm-up
Mid-November is that dreary, no-man’s-land between Halloween and the Christmas party season. A wine-fuelled festival? Ideal.
2. Hospitality could use the boost
A coordinated Beaujolais Day, with restaurants offering pairings, bars opening early, and hotels hosting long-table lunches, could give Irish nightlife the same mid-November surge Swansea enjoys.
3. We already love our wine nights
From natural wine bars in Dublin to cosy bistros in Cork and Galway, Ireland’s wine culture is thriving. Beaujolais Nouveau. light, fruity, low-tannin, and meant to be enjoyed young, is the perfect crowd-pleaser.
4. It’s an excuse to dress up on a Thursday
If Swansea can book out salons at 6am, Ireland can absolutely deliver a bit of pre-Christmas glam.
Beaujolais Day marks the release of Beaujolais Nouveau, the year’s first wine from the Beaujolais region of France. Pic: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images
If you’re wondering whether Beaujolais Nouveau is actually nice these days, one BBC interviewee put it bluntly: global warming has changed the flavour profile so drastically that the wine is now ‘better than ever’ compared to decades ago.
We have the nightlife, the venues, the food scene, and the appetite for a bit of mid-November magic. So maybe 2026 is the year Ireland stakes its claim to this delicious little French tradition.
After all — if Swansea can turn it into Christmas 2.0, imagine what we could do.
Dining and Cooking