Eat, drink and be merry with these annual events dedicated to facilitating the fine art of feasting.
When it comes to culinary pursuits, there is a big delicious world out there that goes beyond dining in and eating out. These yearly events celebrate the best of food and drink, provide opportunities to break bread with fellow foodies and sometimes help raise money for a great cause.
California Wine Fair
More than 120 of the state’s wineries bring with them 450 premium vintages to share at this Calgary Opera fundraiser on March 4. calgaryopera.com
Dine Out Calgary
Restaurants from downtown and the surrounding business districts create set lunch and dinner menus at various price points designed to entice new customers to try what they’re serving,
March 9 to 15. dineoutcalgary.com
The Grape Escape
Calgary Co-op Liquor Stores gather producers of premium wine, beer and spirits at the Roundup Centre and invite their members and friends to come sample. Usually held in November, this year it is taking place March 20 and 21, as well. calgarycoopliquor.com
Cork & Canvas
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra’s Wine and Art Festival features tastings and dinners paired with auctions featuring original art and rare vintages, March 31 to April 4. cpo-live.com
Roots and Shoots
Slow Food Calgary’s April dinner rejoices in the beginning of spring and the local growing season. slowfoodcalgary.ca
AGC Cooks The Art of Cuisine
The Art Gallery of Calgary builds six temporary kitchens in its gallery space for an Iron Chef-style culinary throwdown with secret ingredients, local celebrity chefs and a panel of judges to determine whose cuisine reigns supreme. On April 8. artgallerycalgary.org
Wine Summit
Grape enthusiasts spend the weekend with world-class estate owners and winemakers for meals, tastings, galas and seminars at Lake Louise’s Post Hotel and Spa. Anthony Gismondi, editor-in-chief of Wine Access and Avenue’s wine writer, returns as moderator. May 28 to 31. winesummitlakelouise.com
Calgary Beerfest
Trade tokens for sample-sized servings of local and international beers. Interactive games, booths and live music add to the party vibe at the Big Four Building, May 29 and 30. calgarybeerfest.com
Gallery Calorie
This self-guided walking tour of 17th Avenue S.W. takes place on the second Saturday of June, and includes stops at restaurants dishing out sample menu items, as well as galleries serving liquor and wine. gallerycalorie.com
Big Rock Eddies
Big Rock founder Ed McNally awards trophies and cash prizes for the best amateur print and video ads featuring his brews, which will flow freely at pre- and post-award parties on June 1. bigrockbeer.com/eddies
Sun & Salsa Festival
Kensington businesses create their best salsas for festival-goers to dip their way through before voting on their favourite, July 19. visitkensington.com
Taste of Calgary
Dozens of restaurants and beverage companies descend on the Eau Claire Market’s plaza to serve mini versions of their regular menu items. There’s also live entertainment and an adults-only beverage area, Aug. 6 to 9. tasteofcalgary.com
BBQ on the Bow
The smell of slow-cooked meat wafting from Prince’s Island Park Sept. 5 and 6 can be attributed to this contest where teams of cooks throw meat on the barbecue and compete to be named Alberta Grand Champion. bbqonthebow.com
Feast of Fields
Each September, Slow Food Calgary brings together nearby growers, winemakers, brewmasters and chefs to celebrate the harvest. slowfoodcalgary.ca
Wine Stage
One Yellow Rabbit’s September fundraiser has wine merchants and chefs serving up their goods to sample in the Big Secret Theatre at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts. oyr.org
Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival
At the largest wine and food event in Calgary, imbibers use their purchased sample tickets to work their way through hundreds of wines, scotch, spirits, beer and gourmet food. The Calgary event takes place this year from Oct. 15 to 17. rockymountainwine.com
Fairmont Banff Springs International Festival of Wine and Food
The all-inclusive weekend runs from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 and starts with a Friday-evening tasting and reception, followed by two more days of meals, receptions, a gala dinner and formal wine tastings. fairmont.com/banffsprings
Charity Wine Auction
Willow Park Wines & Spirits’ busy year-round schedule includes this November fundraiser. Four days of boozy-themed events culminates in an auction of items, from wine tours to rare magnums. Funds raised go to Willow Park’s Vintage Fund that supports several charities. willowparkwines.com
Winefest
Samples of hundreds of international vintages including port, Champagne and dessert wines and are poured by experts who impart their vintage product knowledge. winefestcalgary.com
Dinner on the Set
Dinner is served right on stage among the props and set design of a Calgary Opera production. This season, the set of Ariadne Auf Naxos played host to the event in February. calgaryopera.com
L’Arche Calgary Cake Walk
Top pastry chefs create cakes and sugar-work pieces that are then displayed for the public and a panel of judges to scrutinize the week before Valentine’s Day, before choosing a favourite. All of the funds raised support L’Arche projects benefiting people with developmental disabilities. larchecalgary.org
Lawson Lundell Celebrity Hors d’oeuvres
Local chefs and celebrities team up to get diners to part with their cash in exchange for their gourmet treats. This annual February fundraiser is part of Alberta Theatre Projects’ Enbridge Playrites Festival. atplive.com
Culinary Higher Learning
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