IMBIBE | Vancouver International Wine Festival 2020

Waterfront—(February 27 and 29, 2020) The 42nd annual Vancouver International Wine Festival wrapped up not too long ago to much of the usual fanfare and enjoyment. As always every year, VIWF wined and dined thousands of attendees at its various tastings, pairing meals, and signature events across the city.

International Festival Tasting Room

Anchored by its four all you can drink festival tastings hosted inside the Vancouver Convention Centre West ballroom, each VIWF hosted event continues to live up to the festival's trademark "The Wine World is Here" slogan.

Vive la France tasting station

Since 1996, VIWF has spotlighted a different wine-producing host region/country with this year's festivities celebrating all things French wine with a global focus on rosé.

Joseph Mellot wines

VIWF by the numbers:

• 25,300 admissions (96% of tickets sold in 2019)
• 16 countries and 162 wineries (including 42 French)
• 57 events (44 public, 13 trade-only) at 30 venues
• 45 participating restaurants, hotels, and caterers
• 1,450 wines
• 725 at International Festival Tastings
• 145 additional wines at Trade Tastings
• 550 wines at special events (dinners, seminars, etc.)
• 42,000 bottles sampled and/or purchased
• 82,000 wine glasses used
• 400+ volunteers

It was announced the next theme wine region in 2021 will be South America.



Starting with its inception in 1979, VIWF has raised $9.5-million for its beneficiaries in the local performing arts sector. Since 2012, the festival has raised nearly $1½-million for the annual summer Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival.


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