Soft, squishy and a lot of fun. 

Those were the descriptors of what it felt like stomping grapes — not of this weekend’s rain. 

Despite Saturday’s pouring rain Sept. 21, the Running Brook Vineyards hosted its second Grape Stomp and South Coast Vintage Market with a splash and saw it blossom with the sun the following Sunday.

Started as a way to get people together and make a little extra money for the winery, Justin Seney, the operations manager at Running Brook Vineyards, said it’s “something fun for the community.”

When Seney planned his first festival last year, he said knew he wanted to include grape stomping.

“People see it in movies and TV shows,” he said. “When people think about winemaking, it’s the first thing they think of.”

Greg Baranse, a volunteer overseeing the stomping, said, “It’s very satisfying,” adding how everyone seems to be having fun doing it.

“One lady said, ‘It feels like popping bubble wrap with your feet,’” he said.

Carla Chixarro, of New Bedford, was excited to try it out, saying it was something she’s “always wanted to do.”

Baranse said, “I’m not exactly sure what the plan is, but it might be getting made into wine at some point so that’s pretty cool.”

Vineyards used to juice grapes by stomping on them before presses became widely used.

“The seeds that are inside the grape get crushed by the press,” Seney said. “The seeds getting crushed leaks out a lot of bitterness into the wine because the seeds are bitter along the stems.”

Pressing the grapes by foot ensured the seeds’ bitterness wouldn’t contaminate the juice.

Running Brook now uses a hydraulic press because stomping the grapes “took a lot of manpower and a lot of time that we don’t have anymore,” he said.

But at the vineyard’s festivals, they bring out the stomping barrels because they’re “super popular” with both adults and kids, according to Seney.

“You’d see a bunch of older people, couples, older couples and groups of friends doing it,” he added. “It was just nice and wholesome.”

Grape stomping also brings people closer together, according to Seney.

“They’re making jokes. People in the barrels are making jokes. All of a sudden they’re talking and they just made a new friend,” he said.

Over 20 vendors also sold their products at the vintage market.

“[The vendors] have to sell something that people can buy,” Seney said. “You can’t just be here trying to sell us an opportunity.”

Vendors had to fit within a 10 foot by 10 foot spacing and it cost them $75 for the weekend. They also had to bring their own tents.

“We’re a vintage market. We’re trying to sell art, what people have created or thrifted or repurposed,” Seney said, “whether it’s clothing, antiques, furniture or art they made themselves.”

Because of Saturday’s rain, most of the expected 34 vendors didn’t set up their tents, according to Seney. However, many returned the following day with the sun.

Kim Hardy, an antiques collector and owner of Kim’s Classy Collection, still chose to sell her antiques on Saturday, despite the weather.

Hardy, who has been collecting antiques for about a year and a half, used to sell her finds at a booth in Middleborough, but she now opts for venues like the vintage market.

“I enjoy selling and seeing the happiness it brings others,” she said. “People come and they ask the history of an item or what an item even is.”

Hanna Rabstejnek sold her art at the market, including handmade coasters, watercolor paintings, prints and graphic art.

“Everything is original,” she said. “Straight from the brain.”

The weekend’s vintage market was Rabstejnek’s first pop-up showing in “almost four-ish years,” but it might not be her last.

Seney and his team have plans to host festivals all next year, such as distillery club and wine club memberships and wellness events.

“We have so many ideas and different things spaced out,” he said. “I’m just so excited about what’s actually going to come.”