The Oliver Tourism Association has two large festivals at the end of September.
The Oliver Cask & Keg takes place Saturday, September 29. The Festival of the Grape follows on Sunday, September 30. In addition to these larger festivals, there will be other smaller events running over the weekend and the following week, as part of the Okanagan’s fall wine festival celebrations.
The third annual Oliver Cask & Keg runs from 6 until 10 pm at Oliver Community Park. The event showcases the variety of craft breweries, cideries, and distilleries located all across Okanagan-Similkameen and Boundary country. Canadian band Cousin Harley will be playing their rockabilly style music throughout the entire evening, with a number of food trucks on hand for hungry guests. Tickets for the festival include a souvenir glass and three tasting tokens.
Over 50 BC wineries take over the Community Park the next day for the Festival of the Grape. The festival runs from noon until 4 pm and features the sounds of the nine-piece Vancouver band Big Easy Funk Ensemble. The Community Park’s second stage hosts the annual Grape Stomp competition, where teams of three work to squeeze out as much juice as possible.
The festival is open to families with an an interactive Kids Zone with games, inflatables, and face painting. In addition to the many wines available to sample, the festival presents the Food Truck Jam. Outside the park is a merchant market of over 60 vendors, with products ranging from hand-painted wine glasses to woodwork to artisanal cheese, alongside the Fall Art Show & Sale as presented by the Oliver Community Arts Council.
Tickets for the events are available separately, or in a combination package. Information and tickets for the Cask & Keg can be purchased at www.olivercaskandkeg.ca. Tickets for the Festival of the Grape include a souvenir wineglass and three tasting tokens, and can be purchased at www.oliverfestivalofthegrape.ca. Both events are non-smoking.
The Oliver Tourism Association is offering a combination ticket for both events. These tickets are also available at the Festival of the Grape website. The tickets for the events are available both together and individually at an Early Bird price until September 14.