The Ottawa Wine and Food Festival is an annual event that takes place every November. The Ottawa Convention Centre played host to the event last year and will be the venue of choice for the 2012 season as well. This year the event is set to take place from the 7-11 of November and will showcase local restaurants and wines from around the world.

The festival provides Ottawa residents with a welcome interlude to the November lull giving them the opportunity to get “fancied up” and attend a rather prestigious event. Tickets are reasonably priced around $14 dollars for entrance; however, VIP tickets tend to be more expensive. Once inside the venue attendees are gifted with their very own souvenir tasting glass. Ticket sheets can be purchased and $20 gets you a sheet of 40 tickets. These tickets are then used to sample food and wine from the many booths found inside. Different booths and samples require a different number of tickets. For example a mini cheeseburger may require 5-8 tickets whereas a glass of white wine may require only 4.

The majority of booths at the festival also have their own promotions where attendees can sign up for cooking classes or enter to win trips and complimentary dinners/lunches at some of Ottawa’s finest restaurants. Spectators also have the opportunity to sample wines from around the world as countries such as Italy, Mexico, Spain, France, and the United States are represented at the festival through various wineries. All in all the festival provides Ottawa natives with a great opportunity to learn about eateries within their city and sample food and drink from around the world without even heading to the airport.

Exhibitors are encouraged to commit early, both to ensure space and to capitalize on the promotional efforts of the festival organizers.  The event is always full in advance of the show and has had a waiting list, in hope of last-minute opportunities, right up until the event.  To have your company or product represented at the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival, information is available in their online Exhibitor Essentials document.  See you at the show.