Are you planning a wine, cider, beer, or spirit tasting trip to Kelowna? Here are a few things that will help make your experience more enjoyable and memorable.

The Okanagan knows how to celebrate its rich bounty from season to season and create events that entice visitors and residents alike to return year after year. That’s why I’m sharing some of the most notable events for 2024. These gastronomic and viticultural festivals serve as a stage to present the regions abundant harvests, unveil exciting new vintages, and foster camaraderie through friendly rivalry between culinary veterans and emerging talents. You can expect a mixture of both indoor and outdoor settings designed to welcome, entertain, and encourage you to meet new people and have a great time.

The Okanagan Valley is a renowned wine and food destination with 270 unique wineries. Over 40 of those wineries are located within the wine regions of Lake Country, Kelowna, and West Kelowna. That means, you won’t have to travel far to explore and experience BC’s best! In less then an hour you can enjoy yourself in any one of these beautiful regions.

Many of the most popular annual events take place in Kelowna, the largest city in the Okanagan Valley. With the downtown area being extremely walkable, a vehicle isn’t necessary, and you’ll have access to several trendy restaurants, night life, and numerous outdoor activities all within a short distance.

With the emergence of microbreweries, cideries, distilleries, and unique crafts gaining popularity, we’ve seen an uptick in local crafters choosing to set up shop and explore their talent in the industry over the past few years. There are at least 25 of these popular venues between Lake Country, Kelowna, and West Kelowna that you can leisurely sip your way through. Many of which are a short 5-minute stroll from one another and can be found on what has been dubbed Kelowna’s Grapes to Grain Trail.

It's never too late to partake in the fun festivities we’re about to dive into. If this year's calendar is full, don’t worry, these annual gatherings only grow more spectacular with each passing year. Continue reading so you can plan for an extraordinary 2024, or dream of all the exciting things you want to experience when you visit the beautiful Okanagan Valley next year.

Here are the Best Kelowna Wine, Beer, Spirits and Food Festivals in 2024

Festival: Cheers to Cheese

• May 4, 2024, Westside Wine Trail, West Kelowna, BC
• Do you love Wine? What about Cheese? Then we have a match made in heaven and the perfect pairing is waiting to be discovered. Choose between 12 unique winery locations as you travel along the beautiful Westside Wine Trail.
• Your ticket includes access to 4 participating wineries of your choice each offering 2 expertly curated wine and cheese pairings.
• Ticket Information

Festival: Kelowna Beer Fest

• Saturday May 11, 2024, City Park, 1600 Abbott St, Kelowna, BC
• Get ready for a fun filled day in the park, grab your hat, sunglasses, friends and get ready to enjoy a day of adventure. This event offers you an opportunity to sample 40 Local Breweries & Cideries in one convenient location.  
• You can’t live on Beer & Cider alone, can you? For those that can’t, there is also 8 Food Trucks, along with entertainment including Games and a Local DJ to keep you spinning, smiling, and sipping until the day is done.
• Ticket Information

Festival: BC Top 50 Grand Tasting

• Friday June 7, 2024, Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Penticton, BC
• If you prefer something more formal, consider BC's Top 50 Grand Tasting experience. It’s an opportunity to dress up and enjoy a relaxed evening out with your closest friends at Penticton’s Indoor Event Centre.
• The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival proudly introduces the BC Top 50 Grand Tasting. Here you can be the first to taste the Top 50 wines selected by the esteemed judging panel of the British Columbia Wine Awards.
• Ticket Information

Festival: Summer Sips

• June 8, 2024, Spirit Ridge, Osoyoos, BC
• Wine and Culinary Showcasing celebrating the south Okanagan’s rich wine region.  
• Take in the expansive views from the rooftop at Spirit Ridge. Indulge in tasty culinary bites presented by The Bear, The Fish, The Root & The Berry perfectly paired with newly released sparkling, white, rosé, and red wines.
• Ticket Information

Festival: Pride in the Vines

• June 15, 2024, See Ya Later Ranch, Okanagan Falls, BC
• 12 Wine Stations featuring fabulous Wineries from the beautiful South Okanagan area. A DJ to keep you moving and grooving, Drag Performances because it wouldn’t be “Pride in the Vines” without amazing talent, and an optional BBQ ticket at the end of the show to keep all your senses satisfied.   
• Get out and enjoy an afternoon of BBQ, Wine, beautiful views, and inclusive people in support of our 2SLGBTQAI+ community.
• Ticket Information

Festival: The Grand Sommelier Express

• June 21-22, 2024, Historic Kettle Valley Railway Depot, Summerland
• Experience an authentic locomotive experience complete with a collection of Bottleneck Drive's amazing wine, craft beer, premium spirits, and food experts. During the 3-hour train ride, you will be enjoying the breathtaking scenery in Summerland, BC.
• The day starts with delectable appetizers and includes a ride on BC’s only heritage steam train, live music, and optional dinners are available at participating wineries.  
• Ticket Information

Festival: Okanagan Feast of Fields

• September 15, 2024, Niche Wine Co., West Kelowna
• Take part in the 14^th annual Feast of Fields event highlighting the connections between farmers and chefs in a new location, with new vendors, and the same beautiful experience.
• Enjoy the evening as you stroll across a field from tent to tent indulging your senses. Take in live music, gourmet creations from the Okanagan’s top chefs, bakers, food artisans, vintners, brewers, distillers, and other beverage producers in one location for 3 great hours of outdoor fun.
• Ticket Information: TBD – Keep an eye on Event Details & Ticket Sales

Festival: Okanagan Fall Wine Festival

• October 18-19 and 26-27, 2024, Location TBD
• This fun and popular event offers an opportunity to sample wines from around the Okanagan Valley in one convenient location.
• Choose between two weekends of wine exploration and enjoy the bounty of Fall Harvest. Here you can meet with winery owners, wine makers, sample wines, nibble on local cuisine, and mix and mingle as you dance the night away.
• Ticket Information: TBD - Keep an eye on Event Details & Ticket Sales

In addition to the wonderful events noted above, many of our partner wineries throughout the Okanagan Valley host their own events. One of those partners is Jason Parkes Customs who has something for every connoisseur offering patrons everything from wine, beer, cider, and BBQ to live entertainment. JPC is worth keeping an eye on, with 5 locations currently in West Kelowna, they will more then likely have something you and your comrades are interested in attending. To help you, they’ve created an events calendar of their own featuring The Hatch Winery, Black Swift Vineyards, Crown & Thieves Winery, Truck 59 Cider House and The Hatching Post Brewery. 

Mission Hill Winery is another notable venue that offers a series of outdoor concert events on an annual basis. Bringing in performers from all genres it might be hard picking just one event to attend.

We’ve covered the major events that are taking place throughout 2024. However, there are exciting things like Jazz, Fondue, Yoga, Painting, Candle Making, Crafting and so much more that can be incorporated into your next visit. If any of these activities interest you, keep an eye on Okanagan Wine Festivals events or visit your favorite wineries website and search their events to discover new and exciting experiences that you can incorporate into your next Okanagan adventure.