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Okanagan Wine Festival Celebrates Over 20 Years of Spring Festivities

Popular Ten Day Festival Heralds Rite of Spring in the Valley’s Vineyards & Farms

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA – MARCH 26, 2015:  The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is thrilled to announce it’s 21^st year of Spring festivities from April 30-May 10, 2015, with the largest number of local wineries participating.  The Spring Okanagan “Bud Break” Wine Festival offers a savoury atmosphere for soaking up the record breaking warm Valley weather with a glass in hand at over 120 member wineries, inviting visitors and locals to indulge in more than 90 culinary and wine activities from Osoyoos to Oyama.

As the heady aromas of spring blossoms burst forth and the Valley’s vintners eagerly await the annual rite of bud burst in the vineyards, the celebratory kickoff to the season with the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival commences.  From savoury bites to music filled nights some delectable new highlights this year include: an “Iron Sommelier” BC wine and food pairing competition, sensory wine and viticulture workshops at Okanagan College, and live music and record spinning DJs in the Valley’s numerous new architecturally striking wineries, breweries and fruit distilleries.

Don Triggs, Co-Proprietor of Culmina Family Estate Winery states, “The Spring Okanagan Wine Festival is a fabulous springboard to kick off our new season as we celebrate our new releases with new and old friends and of course, incredible food!”

Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association comments, "We are thrilled to once again welcome visitors from around the country and around the globe to join in celebrating some of the best wines produced in the world. The spring festival is one of the favourites for our guests providing them opportunities to not only be the first to sample many new releases, to also come face to face with our region’s leading winemakers and growers."

Meet the artisan winemakers, craft brewers, fruit distillers, and celebrated chefs of the Okanagan Valley, one of the world’s top 10 regions for wine touring. The ten days of intimate and interactive experiences include scenic cycling tours, vineyard hikes and alfresco picnics, sumptuous winery dinners, master chef culinary classes, and hands on winemaking seminars, bringing visitors up close and personal with the Valley’s leading tastemakers.

One of the Society’s Signature Events starts the entire week, the Best of Varietal Wine Awards on Thursday April 30, judged by 15 sommeliers and wine experts, with the Valley’s award-winning winemakers in attendance along with their winning wines.  The weekend then rocks with the iconic WestJet Wine Tastings Friday May 1^st and Saturday May 2^nd, offering live music and a party atmosphere with wineries from across the entire Valley all under one historic roof.  The festivities wrap up Mother’s Day with numerous winery brunches. This Spring the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society invites you to create your own wine story. Visit our website at www.thewinefestivals.com for additional information.

Suggested tweet: Annual “budbreak” festival @OkWineFests announces 21st Spring #Okanagan #BCWine Fest April 30-May 11, 2015, get tix @ http://ow.ly/KHnjF

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About 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 two annual Okanagan Wine Festivals in spring to celebrate the bud break and in fall to celebrate the grape harvest. Its Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is run in partnership with Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops. It is also responsible for Signature Wine Events and two annual wine judging competitions. www.thewinefestivals.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lori Pike-Raffan, Public Relations Director,                   

Okanagan Wine Festivals Society                                

[email protected] / 604.808.6655