With just over a week to go until the 13th annual Rotary Wine Festival, final preparations are well underway.
The festival takes place Mar. 31 at the Castlegar Community Complex and is presented by the Castlegar Sunrise 2000 Rotary Club.
"We have a confirmed 23 wineries attending this year's festival," said president Alexia Turner. "We have many repeat wineries and some new ones as well. The winery owners or reps are coming from as far away as Salmon Arm and as close as Trail. We have two wineries from Creston this year and many from the Okanagan. The event is made possible by the incredible support we get from the wineries. This is an opportunity for the wineries to showcase their wines and for the guests to sample."
In addition to wine sampling, the event will also feature a silent auction with some great items. There is also a blind challenge where attendees can sample six wines and fill out a ballot. The winner takes home a beautiful basket created by Jaydeen Ashton.
Turner says there will be tables and chairs for people to sit and relax and listen to music provided by Brie Hurlvert. Appetito Catering will be serving wonderful appetizers throughout the evening as well. The wine glasses will feature NuFloors logo after the local business won a raffle for the honour.
The major door prize this year is a night's stay at the Sandman Inn in Penticton (thanks to the Sandman Inn in Castlegar) and lunch for two and a VIT tasting and tour of Hillside Estate Winery.
"We are proud to list this as a semi-formal event and have received many positive comments about our dress code," said Turner. "We are also proud of our Rotary Interact students and their parents. They provide a coat check, lots of behind the scenes help, and most importantly - a SAFE ride home. They make sure that you and your car get home safely. This service is provided by donation."
The wine festival started as the Castlegar Sunrise 2000 Rotary Club's first fundraiser and has grown over the years into the largest one.
"The first one raised $1,833.95 and we thought that was fantastic," said Turner. "We now raise over $10,000. We are looking forward to another successful evening."
The event goes from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Tickets are available at Oglows Paint and Bubblee's Liquor Store in Castlegar, and Sound West in Trail.
The money raised from the wine festival goes to support the construction of an outdoor fitness park in Twin Rivers Park, HELP Honduras, which educates market children and their mothers, as well as other local and world club projects.