A World of Festivals at your Doorstep
You'll never be bored in the Okanagan. With dozens of festivals and community events scheduled throughout the year, there's always something going on!
Here are some of the many festivals and events that are scheduled for our neighbourhood:
Okanagan Fest of Ale (April 13-14, 2007)
Are you an aficionado of all things brewed? If so, you’ve come to the right place. During April Penticton restaurants and pubs will be serving pints of some of the finest beers, ales, stouts, and other brews from around the Pacific Northwest. Check out http://www.fest-of-ale.bc.ca for more details.
Tour de Vine (September – October, 2007)
What better way to get up close and personal with the vines than to take a guided bike tour through some of the Okanagan’s best vineyards? Along the way, you can enjoy impromptu tastings, as well as lunch at an estate winery. For those who like to travel in style, buses and fully-guided tours are available. For more information, visit http://www.tourdevine.bc.ca/.
Okanagan Wine Festivals Society: Four Seasons of Festivals
The Okanagan Wine Festival Society hosts the region's premiere wine appreciation events. The society offers no less than four annual festivals to help visitors become more familiar with the wonderful wines we produce. Learn all about it at http://www.thewinefestivals.com.
- Spring Festival (first weekend in May): described as one of Canada’s best small wine festivals, the Spring festival is the perfect marriage of wine and culinary tourism. What a way to welcome the growing season!
- Summer Festival (second weekend in August): The summer festival offers wine seminars, evening entertainment, and a foot-stomping musical outdoor wine tasting. Held every year on Silver Star Mountain in Vernon.
- Harvest Festival (October): The harvest festival is the perfect time to bask in the gentle rays of the autumn sun and enjoy the grapes ripening on the vine. Take a vineyard tour, or help the wineries pick grapes. The festival lasts ten days, so pace yourself!
- Icewine Festival (January): the annual Icewine festival serves up some fantastic servings of the region’s signature wine. Make sure to book early—this one is fast becoming an international favourite!
Pentastic Jazz Festival (September 7-9, 2007)
Three days and nights of hot jazz in the heart of the Valley. Swing, groove, and bop in time to some of the world’s premiere jazz musicians at some of the region’s best restaurants and clubs. A complimentary shuttle service makes it easy to jump from venue to venue. Want to know more? Please visit http://www.pentasticjazz.com.
Vernon Winter Carnival (February 2–11, 2007)
A celebration of winter at the northern tip of the Okanagan Valley. More than 100 events are scheduled, including the opening parade, the BC snow sculpture competition, and the fabulous hot-air balloon fiesta. Visit http://www.vernonwintercarnival.com/ for more information.
