Niagara Grape and Wine Festival celebrates 70 years with monthlong celebration
The annual Niagara Grape and Wine Festival returns this September, but this time with a huge twist! In celebration of its Platinum year, the festivities, which on a regular year last two weeks, will run for the entirety of September.
Originally founded in 1951 to showcase the emerging wine industry, Niagara Grape and Wine Festival has endured seven decades of success. Today there are over 100 participating wineries, spanning 14,500 acres of fertile land.
CNW Group/Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
In 2022, the festival promises to be up to its usual antics with live music, food and wine tastings and a parade or two; and will also deliver on a handful of additional activities as part of its 70th-anniversary celebrations.
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The centre of St. Catherines will serve as the festival’s prime location, with free admission to the Montebello Park Wine and Culinary Festival on September 16, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25, as well as the Family Fun Zone on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Guests of age are invited to sip from a vast selection of wines alongside 15 local food vendors. There will also beĀ 5o straight hours of live music fromĀ Ontario’s best-loved bands including favourites such as My Son the Hurricane, The Mandevilles, and Jonesy.
The Pied Piper parade will take place on September 17 in partnership with the Lincoln County Humane Society, which means one thing: puppies! Participants will have the chance let their furry friends walk in the spectacle.
The Grande Parade will take over Downtown St. Catherines on September 24, with over 50 marching bands set to take to the streets alongside dancers and performance artists.
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The Discovery pass is also making a comeback. Those who purchase it will gain access to 24 wine and food pairings at a number of wineries throughout Niagara on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting on September 9Ā until the end of the month.
But a full 30-day festival calls for even more activities. Additional events include food and wine specials at local restaurants, guided outdoor hikes, vineyard yoga, interactive winery tours, and wine-themed programmes hosted by area-specific retailers and art collectives.
The festival bolsters Niagara’s booming wine industry massively, as stated by Executive Director Dorian Anderson. “Niagara has so much love for all things local that growing the Grape & Wine Festival into a month-long celebration just seemed like the right thing to do… our goal is to shine the spotlight on all the fabulous things we’re making right here in Niagara,” said Anderson.
For a comprehensive list of activities, go to niagarawinefestival.com.
Niagara Grape and Wine Festival
When: September 1 to September 30
Where: Niagara Region
Grande Parade: September 24, 11 am ā Downtown St. Catherines
Pied Piper and Pup Parade: September 17, 11 am ā Downtown St. Catherines
Montebello Park Experience: September 16 to 18 and September 23 to 25,
Fridays, 6 to 11 pm; Saturdays, noon to 11 pm; Sundays, noon to 5 pm.