Food and Wine Festival offers local cuisine and alcohol from all over the globe
The Calgary Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival was the place to be last Friday night for foodies and wine connoisseurs alike.
At 14 years old, the biggest food and wine festival in Calgary appeared to be in its absolute prime.
With well over 100 booths set up, there was something for everyone. From Greek wine, to cake flavoured vodka, and lobster corndogs to turducken sliders, the festival proved to be a unique destination to get one-of-a-kind items.
Festival attendee Carolyn Pullano put it best by saying, “This festival is the best if you want to taste things that are outside of the box.”
With the massive amounts of choices packed into halls D and E of Stampede Park’s BMO Centre, many people appeared to be confused and lost as they wandered around. It was as if they couldn’t choose what to have or where to go first.
It was the equivalent of a bunch of kids entering the candy store of their dreams.
The Food and Wine Festival catered to different tastes and interests. Photo: Clayton GoodwinBut within that overwhelming state of where to go first lays the fun of the festival — there are so many options to choose from, attendees could try whatever they like either for fun or to help them choose what to purchase.
Brenda Stevens, local attendee said: “I love coming here because you get to try this wine or that wine to see what you want to buy. And it’s like a big adventure and a great night out.”
One festival newcomer is the wine made by the Boutari family from Greece. Six vineyards in Greece owned by the family produce all kinds of world-renowned wine.
Having never been to Calgary before, Christina Boutari, exports manager, was impressed with the wine festival and said she would rate it as one of the best she has ever attended.
Calgary can never be a wine hub comparable to Napa Valley, Calif. since grapes don’t grow here. But nevertheless, Boutari did comment on how she notices a real substantial wine culture here in the city.
Coming from such a prominent wine family, one can only take that as a compliment about Calgary.
The festival ran through Oct. 14-15. If you missed it, don’t worry because based on this year’s turnout, it seems very likely the festival will be celebrating its 15th anniversary next fall.