Fresno Armenian community celebrates Grape Blessing and Festival

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Dozens of people gathered for a special blessing in Downtown Fresno. The Fresno Armenian community celebrated the Grape Blessing and Festival on Sunday. They say the grape is considered the "queen of all fruits."

The blessing is a traditional event that dates back to centuries ago. It's typically held in August, just in time for seasonal harvesting. The service acts as a blessing to everyone in the agriculture industry and to ensure that the season will bring a surplus of crops.

Sunday's blessing was followed by a festival with traditional Armenian food, music and dancing.