A month-long virtual food festival has officially started in North Vancouver

While 2020 has thrown its fair share of curveballs at the food and beverage scene, innovators in the field continue to demonstrate just how resilient our city’s eateries are.

We’ve seen restaurants pivot to offer curbside takeout and meal kits. And now, Capilano Mall’s NOSH Foodie Fest has officially gone virtual.

Happening now through September 30 and sponsored by Dished Vancouver and Global BC, NOSH Foodie Fest is a month-long exploration of all things culinary — think virtual dinner parties, cooking demos, edible art tutorials, and more — and you and your bubble can taste, sip, and experience it all from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Kin’s Farm Market/NOSH Foodie Fest

This year’s festivities follow a successful event in 2019 and reflects Capilano Mall’s dedication to supporting its food and beverage tenants.

Over the entire month, attendees can tune in to a series of virtual events and attractions, such as the Capilano Cookbook. This free digital cookbook, now available on the Capilano Mall website, features recipes provided by the mall’s food and beverage merchants. Flip through the pages to find inspiration for your next dinner party or takeout night.

If you prefer to cook with an expert at your (virtual) side, that’s also an option. Every Saturday during September, starting at 5:30 pm, you can follow along with Good Eats Cooking Demos, taught by food writer, blogger, and photographer Kirby (@eatingwithkirby) and hosted on Capilano Mall’s Instagram Live. Each virtual cooking demonstration will spotlight a different merchant-provided recipe from the Capilano Cookbook.

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A post shared by K I R B Y | Food & Travel (@eatingwithkirby) on May 11, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT

Looking for a new event to join with your nearest and dearest? Foodies can enter to win one of 50 invitations to a virtual dinner party with Emma Choo (@vancouverfoodie), a popular influencer and foodie in Vancouver.

Here’s how it will work. Each dinner party will be hosted virtually on Google Meet, with 10 guests per event. Guests will be given meal kits with ingredients to whip up the set menu, which consists of three courses — appetizer, main, and dessert — from three featured Capilano Mall food merchants. It’s a unique and novel way to host a dinner party safely and interact with new people from Vancouver’s foodie community.

The contest will be hosted on Dished Vancouver’s Instagram page starting September 3, with winners randomly selected on September 11. The five dinner party dates occur September 14 to 18.

Emma Choo/@vancouverfoodie

There’s even something to get the little ones excited. Every Tuesday in September, you can tune in to Capilano Mall’s IGTV for DIY edible art tutorials.

Presented by Capilano Mall in association with The Giraffes Art School, the tutorials will get kids inspired to make food-themed masterpieces like bread animals, fruit trees, pasta flowers, and more. All the ingredients (aka art supplies) will be available at Capilano Mall retailers.

Kids can even submit their work to be featured in the Eat Your Art Out virtual gallery. Submissions will also be entered for a chance to win a $1,000 Capilano Mall gift card!

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Beyond the events mentioned above, viewers can get a behind-the-scenes look at how Capilano Mall’s food and beverage merchants make their signature dishes. Featured on Capilano’s IGTV, these videos will let you catch up with a local foodie expert who will take you through the tips and tricks of creating an impressive and memorable meal.

If you’re craving a new way to support Vancouver’s culinary scene, NOSH Foodie Fest is an incredible opportunity to do so while kindling your own passion for great food and great conversation.

Be sure to follow Capilano Mall’s Instagram and Facebook pages, as many of the events can be accessed through those platforms. Plus, the accounts will be hosting a cutting board giveaway in mid-September, so the lucky winners can test out their newfound recipes in style.

NOSH Foodie Fest

When: September 1 to 30
Where: Online and via Capilano Mall’s Instagram and Facebook pages
Price: FREE