Media Releases

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Cornucopia Take Two: Expanded programming means an extra week of indulgence; Enjoy Cornucopia and the opening of Whistler Mountain this weekend

Tourism Whistler media release
For immediate release – November 13, 2013

 

Cornucopia Take Two: Expanded programming means an extra week of indulgence; Enjoy Cornucopia and the opening of Whistler Mountain this weekend

Suggested Tweet: Missed the first week of Cornucopia? Didn’t get enough? Have no fear; expanded programing means more days to enjoy http://bit.ly/M0vc4

 
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Whistler, B.C. – An expanded 11-day program at Whistler’s food and drink festival means even those who missed the first weekend – or just couldn’t get enough -- still have plenty of time to indulge.

This year’s Cornucopia food + drink festival presented by BlueShore Financial features 11 days of programming, with everything from  seminars, lunches, dinners and parties celebrating wine, cocktails, spirits and beer. Rounding out the robust schedule is the Nourish health and wellness series, inviting guests to enjoy meditation and yoga in addition to a number of workshops on topics ranging from raw food, Paleo cuisine, skin care from the pantry, healing foods and foods for detox and anti-aging.

The Whistler Chef’s Challenge championship round takes place at the Whistler Conference Centre Wednesday from noon – 4p.m. This free event brings local chefs out of their kitchens an on the culinary stage at Cornucopia with 60 minutes to produce delicious fare utilizing a themed ingredient.

Thursday sees the free Cornucopia Cocktail Competition presented by Alta Bistro – also at the Whistler Conference Centre and featuring professional mixologists from across BC and beyond tasked with creating a unique and delicious concoction in 15 minutes. Beverages are judged on creativity, taste and presentation. A little attitude doesn’t hurt, either.

Also on Thursday, don’t miss Muddle at Alta Bistro, the Value of Your Wine and the Art of Collecting It, an intimate wine dinner at Araxi Restaurant + Bar with Burrowing Owl, the Butcher and the Brewmaster at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub and a winery dinner at Sushi Village. After all that indulging, purify your body and mind at Scandinave Spa with a unique Scandinavian baths experience and purification ceremony.

On Friday, the Culinary Stage Series presents the tools and techniques for making cocktails at home, while La Bocca restaurant hosts Ocean Wise Friday Fish Fry, Alta Bistro presents Slide and Dine and a winery dinner with Sumac Ridge and Black Sage Vineyards.

Also on  Friday is Cornucopia’s second House Party – Celebrate Argentina, at the Whistler Conference Centre, Pacific Northwest Brewers Showcase at the Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub and Furry Fridays presented by Buffalo Bill’s and Stoli.

The fun continues through the weekend, moving into the worlds of cocktails, craft beer and spirits. Learn about the Single Malt Seduction, classic cocktails, Gin: The Cocktail Chameleon and Whiskey: an American Tale, Absinthe: Risk or Reward, Rum: Revolution to Revelation and the Poured: Beer + Spirit Tasting, all taking place at the Whistler Conference Centre. For a complete party scene, check out the Poured Tasting + Absolut After Party Package. 

The final day of the 11-day 2013 Cornucopia extravaganza is all about beer, guilt-free holiday entertaining, hair of the dog cocktails, tequila and comfort foods.

And, that’s not all there is to enjoy at Whistler; thanks to the combined efforts of Mother Nature and snowmaking, Whistler Mountain will open 13 days early on Saturday, November 16. Guests to Cornucopia can enjoy the first runs of the season. There will be five lifts operating, with guests uploading from either the Whistler Village or Creekside gondolas. First uploads will begin at 8:30 a.m. Blackcomb Mountain is scheduled to open on American Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28.

Accommodation and ticket packages for Cornucopia are still available, with accommodation rates from $85 per night. 

For detailed schedule information, visit www.whistlercornucopia.com. For media accreditation, visit http://whistlercornucopia.com/media/

 

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Cornucopia is a newly expanded eleven day dazzling display of gourmet food, wines, spirits and beer attracting more than 10,000 people to the resort – and catering to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados. Respected industry professionals, judges and presenters headline each event, seminar and tasting, offering the best possible opportunity to garner as much information and insight as possible. Held on the cusp of the opening of each ski season in beautiful Whistler, British Columbia, Cornucopia was designed to showcase and support the local food and drink industry. Now encompassing wineries, breweries, distilleries, chefs and restaurants from Vancouver, greater B.C. and beyond, Cornucopia has become recognized as a preeminent representation of the culinary tourism industry in Canada. With widespread appeal shown through the immense variety of events available, the festival is truly a food and drink festival with a Whistler attitude.


Whistler is Canada’s premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.


Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.WHISTLER and whistler.com – Whistler’s official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.


Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.


Media Contacts
Mary Zinck
Specialist, Travel Media
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
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