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Celebrating Two Decades

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

Celebrating two decades of the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival  

SUN PEAKS, BC (January 5, 2018): The Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival returns for its 20^th year, from January 12 to 21, with 20 premier events.

What started out as a two day “Icewine Festival” in 1998, has since grown to become the internationally recognized, ten-day celebration it is today. In celebration of its 20^th anniversary, the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival will once again welcome visitors from around the globe to experience a quintessentially Canadian pairing of fine BC wines and true north adventure in Canada’s Alpine Village.

The festival has built on two of British Columbia’s best assets, winter recreation and British Columbian wine, growing into one of Canada’s premier winter events. This growth is not only defined by an increase in attendance, but also by the number of unique wine and culinary offerings, which continue to attract thousands of guests to Canada's second largest ski area.

"The 20th anniversary of the Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to welcoming loyal and new guests to this long-standing marquee event,” says Arlene Schieven, President and CEO, Tourism Sun Peaks. “The wine festival events, coupled with a winter wonderland setting, provide the perfect opportunity to celebrate the best of our region’s wine and food, while enjoying a multitude of outdoor activities.”

“The Festival is a testament to the phenomenal wine culture in the province, which has now surpassed $1 billion in wine sales annually, with BC wine comprising the largest market share of any region’s wines sold in the province,” says Blair Baldwin, General Manager, The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society.  “With unique Canadian inspired wine and culinary events like Taste of Sun Peaks, which celebrates the culinary diversity of restaurants from throughout Sun Peaks, and the superb Comforts of Grilled Cheese and Wine,  we offer an inspired pairing of the best of British Columbia for those that enjoy fine wine, food and skiing in a spectacular mountainside setting.”

Much of this success is attributed to the steady expansion of unique experiences offered. This year the festival is introducing four new events to its schedule: Exposure Beyond ‘Auto’, Iconic and Collectible Wines of BC with John Schreiner, House Concert with Wine, and the Voyageur Brunch. Each event has been added in direct response to feedback received from event attendees and emerging market trends.

As one of the largest winter gatherings of B.C. wineries – with over 150 different wines to taste over the ten-day event - the popular festival is showing strong 2018 ticket sales with six events already sold out.  Tickets range from $40 to $120.  For complete event listings go to: http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/wine-festival. Tickets can be purchased through Tourism Sun Peaks’ Central Reservations at 1-800-807-3257.

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Suggested Tweet: Celebrating two decades, the 20th annual #SunPeaks Winter @OKWineFests takes place Jan 12-21, 2018 with new #BCWine events. Get your tix bit.ly/sp_winefest

About The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society

The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is responsible for the development of the wine tourism sector in the interior of British Columbia. It is well known for producing four seasonally inspired Okanagan Wine Festivals in Wither, Spring, Summer, and Fall. Its Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is run in partnership with Sun Peaks Resort. It is also responsible for Signature Wine Events including Cropped by Valley First, the WestJet Wine Tastings, and more. It produces and runs for two annual wine judging competitions: the British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Competition, and the province’s most prestigious and oldest wine competition, the British Columbia Wine Awards. For more information visit, www.thewinefestivals.com.

About Sun Peaks:

Sun Peaks is a resort community located in the interior of British Columbia. Located just 45 minutes from Kamloops, it is the second largest ski area in Canada and a year-round destination for guests in search of a welcoming, accessible, stress-free mountain experience. Consistently recognized as one of the top ski resorts in North America, thanks to its massive terrain and confidence inspiring design, Sun Peaks offers a European-style ski-in, ski-out, pedestrian village with locally-owned and operated shops, restaurants, and lodging. Spring, summer, and fall offers guests a wide range of leisure activities, featuring an 18-hole, par 72 Graham Cooke-designed golf course, a lift-accessed downhill mountain bike park, cross-country mountain biking, alpine hiking trails, and a year-round line up of concerts, events, and festivals. Sun Peaks has been recognized for its environmental policies and practices, as the first resort in North America and the only resort in Canada to earn the ISO 14001 designation for environmental management. Sun Peaks can be accessed from airport gateways in Kamloops (45 minutes) and Kelowna (2.5 hours), and by car, with only a four-hour drive separating Sun Peaks from Vancouver, B.C

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kate Deglow, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society
[email protected]
250-861-6654 ext. 102

Rachel Roberts, Media Relations & Communications Specialist, Tourism Sun Peaks
[email protected]
250-578-5387