(MENAFN- Investors Ideas) Vancouver, B.C. - September 26, 2016 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The Vancouver International Wine Festival is pleased to announce the winery lineup for the 39th annual festival, which takes place February 11-19, 2017. The eight-day wine and food extravaganza will showcase 182 wineries from 16 countries, including 77 wineries from featured country Canada and 105 additional producers from around the world, pouring 1,550+ wines at 55 events.
View the winery list here.
"In February, more than 100 international producers will travel to Vancouver to help 77 vintners from Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary," says David Hopgood, chair of the Winery Selection Committee. "The exceptional roster includes, for the first time, a winery from Turkey. Fifty old world producers (including 16 French and 20 Italian) and 50 new world wineries, plus sake-makers from Japan and Canada, will show their wares alongside the best from Canada."
The festival is headquartered at the Vancouver Convention Centre; in addition, more than 25 other restaurants and venues around the city will host winery dinners, lunches, seminars and wine minglers. The sumptuous Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, benefiting Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, kicks off the festival on February 11 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver; tickets and tables are on sale now. The heart of the festival is the Acura Tasting Room, where all 182 wineries will gather for four International Festival Tastings and two Trade Tastings. Discounted advance tickets for the International Festival Tastings go on sale Tuesday, November 1 at 9:30 a.m.
The Wine World Celebrates Canada
In honour of Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, VanWineFest will host the largest gathering ever of Canadian wineries at an international festival. Canadian wineries will have a featured section in the tasting room, and will be showcased in special events throughout the week.
"Our industry has undergone such rapid growth, with the number of Canadian wineries almost doubling within the last decade," says Dan Paszkowski, president and CEO of the Canadian Vintners Association. "It's therefore an excellent time to showcase 'Wines of Canada' at the 2017 Vancouver International Wine Festival. We are confident that festivalgoers will be impressed and wowed by the selection, diversity and quality of our terroir-driven wines, which highlight the best of Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia."
Canada's importance, not just as a world-class producer of wine, but also as a major importer of wine, is reflected in the strong lineup of international wineries at next year's festival, with 15 other countries represented. Canada is the seventh largest wine market in the world (World Wine and Spirits Market with an Outlook to 2018), and the fourth largest wine importer in sales value (Global Trade Atlas, 2013). British Columbia's wine market alone tops $1 billion annually.
Save the Dates
Advance tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 1 at 9:30 a.m.
All public events go on sale Tuesday, January 10 at 9:30 a.m.
All trade events go on sale Tuesday, January 17, at 9:30 a.m.
For more information about the Vancouver International Wine Festival go to VanWineFest.ca.
ABOUT VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL
Canada's premier wine show will mark its 39th edition of pairing wine, food and the performing arts from February 11 to 19, 2017. The festival features The Wine World Celebrates Canada as the theme. The festival will showcase 182 wineries from 16 countries (including 77 wineries from Canada) pouring a projected 1,550+ wines at 55 events to a projected 25,000 admissions. The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction opens the festival on Saturday, February 11 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The festival is produced by the Vancouver International Wine Festival Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and festival partners; and raise funds for the Bard on the Beach Theatre Society. Since inception in 1979, the festival has raised $8.7 million for the performing arts. Major sponsors are Delta Air Lines and the Vancouver Sun; major industry partners are the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Canadian Vintners Association and the Import Vintners & Spirits Association. The festival is made possible through the gracious support of our participating countries' consulates and embassies.
ABOUT WINES OF CANADA
Wines of Canada is a collaborative initiative of the Canadian Vintners Association and regional wine associations - British Columbia Wine Institute, Wine Marketing Association of Ontario, Vignerons indépendants du Québec and the Winery Association of Nova Scotia - to bring the country's best wines to the world. Partial funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the AgriMarketing program through Growing Forward 2.
ABOUT BARD ON THE BEACH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
Celebrating its 27th season in 2016, Bard on the Beach is one of Canada's largest not-for-profit, professional Shakespeare festivals. It is presented on the waterfront in Kitsilano's Vanier Park, adjacent to Vancouver's downtown core. Bard on the Beach offers Shakespeare plays, related dramas and popular special events in two performance tents every June through September. In 2016, attendance exceeded 100,000 and more than 1.4 million patrons have experienced Bard since its inception. Next year's festival dates are June 1 to September 23, 2017 and the lineup will be announced at the closing of this year's festival, Saturday, September 24.
Bard also offers a range of education programs, including Young Shakespeareans Workshops for 8-18 year-olds at its Vanier Park site during the summer, and Riotous Youth for 19 to 24-year-olds. During the school term, Bard also offers workshops for educators and youth in schools and community centres throughout BC's Lower Mainland, as well as at its new administrative home, the BMO Theatre Centre (164 West 1st Avenue). Full details and education program information are at bardonthebeach.org.
Media Contact:
Betty Verkuil, Director of Sponsorship and Marketing
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.