The 7th Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival invites wine and culinary aficionados to wineries, farms and restaurants doorsteps from Wed., Sept. 14th through Sun., Sept. 18th.
The 2011 Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival is presenting five NEW major festival events in addition to the traditional weekend celebration. Designed as a self-explore experience, visitors are encouraged to pick up or download a festival map before sipping and tasting their way through the Cowichan. All 26 festival participants will have something special going on over five days, and most daytime activities are free of charge.Visitors can also choose to purchase tickets to the festival participants’ events on Thursday through Sunday. Ticketed events range from $25 to $225 per person and in size from dinners for 24 to parties of up to 200. Reservations required and tickets are limited.
“Our community has rallied around our vintners, farmers, food producers and chefs who have created tasting or tour activities and events showcasing the best of Cowichan,” commented Mike Hanson, Festival Director 2011 Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival. “Together we are offering a truly memorable cultural destination experience.”
The festival begins Wed., Sept. 14th at 1:30 p.m. in beautiful Downtown Duncan with a community Grape Stomp at City Square Stage. After the Grape Stomp visit Bistro 161 for tasting flights of local wine by the glass and their Tapas Menu or step into elCentro Cafe for fabulous Jazz and their West Coast Latin Menu. Then at 7 p.m. join us for the Cowichan Wine Tasting in the Comeakin Room at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural and Conference Centre.
On Thur., Sept. 15th at 6 p.m., Cowichan Chef’s Table and invited BC chefs are hosting a culinary showcase in honour of the late James Barber, Canada’s Urban Peasant. This fundraiser for Providence Farm will feature stations throughout the historic buildings offering culinary delicacies paired with local beer, wine and cider. They will also be officially launching the James Barber Wood Burning Oven project, the chefs gift to Providence Farm.
A weekend day spent at the festival will take you on a journey through the scenic and meandering country roads of Cowichan, where visitors will find themselves alternating between ocean, mountain, field and rainforest views. The festival offers an assortment of the region’s best wines and ciders, tours and tastings, unique farm-fresh epicurean delights from organic farms and food producers, live entertainment, green Earth seminars, hand-blown glassware, and your favourite bottles of wine over lunch. To further enhance your experience take in a weekend session at the 1st Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival Wine Symposium presented by Vancouver Island University at its new Cowichan Campus.
Then at 7 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 18th, you are invited to join the closing celebrations at our ticketed Wrap up Party hosted by terrain regional kitchen and the oceanfront suites in Cowichan Bay.
Join us for fine food, fine wine and fine friends in the beautiful and bountiful Cowichan.
