Media Releases

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial: Cheers to 20 years – tickets going on sale!

 

Suggested tweet: The ultimate mountain food + drink festival, @CornucopiaWine is turning 20! #Cornucopia2016 #Cheersto20Years @GoWhistler

 

Whistler, B.C. – This year marks the 20th anniversary of Whistler’s favourite fall festival Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial – taking place November 10-20.

Ideally located in the majestic resort town of Whistler, B.C., this 11-day showcase fulfills its mission to put Whistler on the map as the must-experience food and drink mountain event, annually attracting more than 7,500 attendees and hundreds of key industry members and media.

Festival organizers have been working hard on this year’s event and have a few exciting announcements to share:

New events

  • 20th Anniversary Party at The Picnic: A Showcase of Whistler Culinary Excellence – join the celebration as the visionaries and talent of Whistler gather to host a blend of talents, tastes and toasts – cheers to 20 years!
  • Cornucopia Kids! – a one-day program dedicated to bringing kids, parents and professionals together to share in the joy of cooking. Families team up with professional chefs where kids will learn where their food comes from, create their own meal - and with a little friendly competition - present and share with others.
  • Cornucopia Wine Summit – where better to host a summit than in the mountains? This event brings together the experts -- passionate producers, marketers, restaurateurs and industry insiders -- to discuss topics relevant to the wine industry and its changing landscape, in a setting where those who have a common interest can share and debate.

Return visitors don’t fret, festival favourites - tasting events such as the flagship CRUSH Grand Tasting, winemaker dinners, chef’s luncheons, world-class after-parties and much more will round out the programming for Cornucopia.

Ticket sales
In celebration of the 20th anniversary, tickets are going on sale as of June 1, 2016 – the earliest in the festival’s history! Visit www.whistlercornucopia.com for event schedule, news and ticket information.

Charity partner
Cornucopia organizers are pleased to once again name Whistler Adaptive Sports Program as the festival’s charity recipient. Whistler Adaptive Sports program is committed to changing lives through access to sport and recreation for all – moving the focus for the participants from their disabilities to their abilities. The organization promotes the breaking down of physical and social barriers as well as financial barriers through their bursary program.

Cornucopia is committed to giving back in the community. Through various fundraising events that take place over the course of the 11-day festival, funds raised are donated to the partner charity. Previous recipients have included Whistler Public Library, Whistler Animals Galore (WAG), Playground Builders and Whistler Arts Council.

-30-

Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial is Whistler’s Celebration of Food + Drink. The dazzling eleven-day display of gourmet food and drink attracts over 15,000 visitors to the resort and caters 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 local restaurants, restaurateurs and the food and wine industry. With wide-spread appeal 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
Media Program - Cornucopia
Manager, Travel Media - Tourism Whistler
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistlercornucopia.com

Twitter: @CornucopiaWine
Facebook: @WhistlerCornucopia
Instagram: @cornucopiawhistler