Fall wine festivals

It’s almost time to harvest the grapes — and that means time to celebrate, sip and dine. Here are four of the most popular wine festivals in Canada:

The Fall Okanagan Wine Festival Sept. 28 – Oct 7
For 10 days every fall, people rejoice in the bountiful harvest at events throughout BC’s Okanagan Valley. Lunch in a vineyard, follow one of Kelowna’s five fabulous wine trails, learn about pairing wine with food, join a grape stomping bash — bare feet required!

Niagara Wine Festival, Sept 21-30
For two weekends every September, wine lovers flock to St. Catharine’s, in the heart of Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula. Enjoy wines from more than 30 award-winning wineries along with Niagara cuisine and great entertainment. Canadian Music Hall of Famers Platinum Blonde kicks off this year’s festival.

Nova Scotia Fall Wine Festival, Sept. 13 – Oct. 14
Nova Scotia is Atlantic Canada’s biggest wine producing province and quite possibly the oldest grape-growing region in North America. Enjoy the province’s internationally acclaimed wines at events throughout the province, including vineyard tours, grape stomps and winemakers’ dinners.

Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival, Oct 12-13 in Calgary and Nov. 2-3 in Edmonton
Alberta is not known for growing grapes, but celebrating grapes? Absolutely! The fall festival — split between Calgary and Edmonton — offers a chance to sample a wide variety of Canadian and international wine and other alcoholic beverages, along with gourmet food pairings. Discover new products and interact with experts.

Photo: Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Tourism BC/Albert Normandin

Article courtesy of the Canadian Tourism Commission. The text has been modified from the original.