The Vancouver International Wine Festival features dozens of special restaurant dinners, wine tastings, seminars and other wine-themed events.
In 2026 the Vancouver International Wine Festival runs from March 7th to March 14th, with France as the festival’s theme country. Celebrating its 47th year, the event features 114 wineries from 14 countries, including many wines from British Columbia.
This article highlights the major events of the 2026 festival. Keep reading to learn about the biggest events, or, for the full list of what happens during the festival, visit vanwinefest.ca.
(TIP: Why not make your time at the wine festival a mini staycation? If you want to do that, book your hotel through StayVancouverHotels.com. If you do that, you can get two free tickets to one of the International Festival Tastings events. Click Wine Deal with StayVancouverHotels.com for details.)
Wine Festival Dinners, Seminars & Other Events
The Vancouver Wine Festival features a wide range of events throughout its eight-day run from March 7th to March 14th, 2026. Some events are open to the public, and others are reserved for wine, hospitality, and beverage industry professionals.
Below are just some of the public events happening during the festival. As always, there’s an impressive selection of wine-focused experiences to choose from. Many events sell out quickly, so booking tickets early is strongly recommended.
The International Festival Tastings are the festival’s largest and most popular events. In 2026, they take place from March 12th to 14th at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Evening sessions run from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Thursday and Friday, with both an afternoon session (2:30 pm to 5:00 pm) and an evening session on Saturday. Ticket prices for 2026 start at $109, with higher prices for the Friday and Saturday evening sessions at around $119.
(Note: Festival events are for adults ages nineteen and older. Dates, times, locations, and pricing are subject to change, so check the official Vancouver International Wine Festival website for the most up-to-date details.)
For tickets and the event’s official website with all 2026 events, click Vancouver International Wine Festival.
Signature Wine Festival Events
Below are examples of signature events that take place on various days of the 2026 festival. All details are subject to change.
Note: This is only a selection of the many events that make up the Vancouver International Wine Festival. For the most up-to-date information, visit the vanwinefest.ca website.
Saturday, March 7th, 2026
Bacchanalia Gala at the Fairmont Hotel
In 2026, the Bacchanalia Gala takes place on Saturday, March 7th, at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, located at 900 West Georgia Street. The black-tie fundraising event runs in the evening and is widely regarded as one of Vancouver’s most prestigious annual social occasions.
The Gala features a multi-course dinner paired with premium wines. It also includes live entertainment, dancing, and both live and silent auctions. Proceeds raised at the event support Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival and help sustain the performing arts in Vancouver.
Ticket prices in 2026 start at around $545 per person, with premium table options available.
Click Bacchanalia Gala for more information.
Thursday March 12th to Saturday 14th March, 2026
International Festival Tasting at the Convention Centre
The Tasting Room is the centrepiece of the Vancouver International Wine Festival. The event features four large-scale International Festival Tasting sessions taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Each event showcases hundreds of wines from participating wineries around the world.
The International Festival Tastings in 2026 take place on Thursday, March 12th, and Friday, March 13th, from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm both evenings. On Saturday, March 14th, there is an afternoon tasting from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm, followed by an evening session from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Ticket prices are around $109 for the Thursday evening session and the Saturday afternoon tasting. Friday and Saturday evening sessions cost about $119 per person.
Click International Festival Tasting for tickets and further details.
Winery Dinners
The 2026 Vancouver International Wine Festival features more than 10 winery dinners, each pairing a meal with wines from a specific winery or region. The dinners take place at restaurants across Vancouver. Some of the locations are not yet listed. Prices range from about $175 to $255 per person, including food, wine, gratuity, and taxes.
Below is a brief list of the dinners in 2026. (Details are subject to change.)
Monday, March 9th, 2026
The Soul of Napa Valley
A dinner highlighting premium Napa Valley wines, paired with a multi-course menu designed to showcase classic California styles. The event runs from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm at Riley’s Steak House. Click The Soul of Napa Valley for more information.
Tuesday, March 10th, 2026
The Spirit of Languedoc-Roussillon
This dining experience explores the diversity of southern France, pairing wines from Languedoc-Roussillon with a French-style menu. It takes place at Provence Marinaside between 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm. For more details, see The Spirit of Languedoc-Roussillon webpage.
For tickets and information about other events, visit vanwinefest.ca.
Stoneboat Vineyards at Bacchus
This dinner is a celebration of British Columbia wine-making talent, featuring Stoneboat Vineyards wines, thoughtfully paired with a menu highlighting local ingredients at Bacchus Restaurant inside the Wedgewood Hotel. The event takes place from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm. Click The Stoneboat Vineyards at Bacchus for more information.
Le Table Chapoutier at L’Abattoir
This event is a refined evening showcasing the wines of M. Chapoutier alongside a sophisticated, French-inspired tasting menu from one of Vancouver’s most fancy kitchens. Taking place between 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm at the Gastown restaurant L’Abattoir. For more information, click Le Table Chapoutier at L’Abattoir.
Taste Of Tuscany
This dinner at Italian Kitchen provides a journey through central Italy featuring Tuscan wines paired with an Italian menu celebrating traditional Italian flavours. The dinner takes place between 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm. For more information about this dinner, click Taste of Tuscany.
Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
Fraser Valley’s Farm to Table
Taking place at Otter Trail Winery from 6:30 to 10:00 pm, a locally focused dinner highlighting Fraser Valley producers features thoughtfully paired wines and a seasonal menu rooted in sustainability. For more information about the dinner, click Fraser Valley’s Farm to Table.
For tickets and the event’s official website, click Vancouver International Wine Festival.
Night in Rioja
This event is an evening dedicated to Spain’s iconic Rioja region, featuring red and white wines paired with a Spanish-inspired multi-course menu at Espana restaurant close to English Bay in the West End. The dinner happens between 6:30 pm and 10:30 pm. To learn more about the event, click A Night in Rioja.
A Night With Phantom Creek Estates
A dinner from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at The Victor in Parq Casino. This event showcases one of the Okanagan Valley’s most prestigious wineries, pairing Phantom Creek Estates wines with a contemporary menu. For more information, see the Night With Phantom Creek Estates page.
For tickets and the full list of 2026 events, click Vancouver International Wine Festival.
Sage Hayward: Rooted in the Sea
This is a coastal-inspired dinner at Fable Kitchen, featuring seafood dishes paired with wines selected to complement ocean flavours. The dinner takes place between 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm. To learn more about this dinner, click Sage Hayward: Rooted in the Sea.
A Taste of Chablis
This dinner is a deep dive into the French region of Chablis, featuring Chardonnay paired with a menu that highlights French elegance. Like the rest, this dinner takes place from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm. The event takes place at The Vancouver Club. To learn more about the event, click A Taste of Chablis.
To see what the International Festival Tasting event looks like, check out the following video. It’s from the 2020 event.
Lively Lunches & Wine Parties
Similar to the dinners, the 2026 Festival also offers lunch events that happen during the day. This year, there is also a Wine Party, which happens at night. Lunches range from $109 to $140, and the Wine Party costs around $75 per person. The events are listed below. (Times and details are subject to change.)
Visit the Vancouver International Wine Festival website for the full details.
Wednesday, March 11th, 2026
Cruising California: Wine Party
This wine party takes place at the loft at Earls in Yaletown, from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm. It’s a relaxed walk around and mingling event with a California Oscar party theme and even a red carpet. For more information, click Cruising California.
Saturday, March 14th, 2026
9th Annual PICA Kitchen Party
Vancouver’s top chefs take guests on a tour of various kitchens, where each chef prepares food to pair with certain wines. The event takes place from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at Granville Island, at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, 101-1505 West 2nd Avenue. Click PICA Kitchen Party for more details.
Taste of France at LaSalle
Taking place from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at LaSalle College Vancouver. The address is 2808 Bradfield Court. This event is a French-themed lunch showcasing classic regional dishes matched with French wines. This event highlights traditional techniques and well-known wine styles from France. Click Taste of France for more details.
Think Pink! A Rose Lunch
This event is a lunch featuring a range of rose wines paired with a lunch menu. Taking place between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm at The Farmhouse, located at 352 East 10th Avenue, Vancouver. Click Think Pink! A Rose Lunch for more details.
Wine Seminars
In addition to the dinners, parties, lunches, tastings, and the Gala, 3 wine seminars are taking place in 2026. The seminars range from between $75 to $125 per person. The 2026 schedule is listed below. All details are subject to change.
Thursday, March 12th, 2026
The Shape of Wine
This seminar takes place at The Vancouver Club from 5:15 pm to 6:45 pm. The event explores how different glass shapes can influence wine drinking and tasting. See The Shape of Wine for more details.
A Tour de France in Your Glass
Taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre from 5:15 pm to 6:45 pm. The seminar is a guided tasting journey through France’s major wine regions. This seminar highlights regional traditions and what makes each area distinct in the glass. Click A Tour de France in Your Glass for more information.
Friday, March 13th, 2026
Passport to Global Wines
This seminar also takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre in the East meeting room from 5:15 pm to 6:45 pm. The seminar focuses on the differences between grapes from multiple countries and examines the different winemaking approaches in each. To learn more about this seminar, click Passport to Global Wines.
To find out more details, for tickets, and to learn more about the above seminars, click Wine Seminars.
WINE FESTIVAL CONNECTION TO SHAKESPEARE
Did you know that the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival is a charitable beneficiary of the Vancouver International Wine Festival? It is, and every year Bard on the Beach receives a large cheque from the festival, which helps the theatre organization do what it does: provide first-class theatre to Vancouver folks and tourists each summer.
For details about the theatre company, see our article about Bard on the Beach.
For tickets and the event’s official website, see the Vancouver International Wine Festival website.
LOOKING FOR A DOWNTOWN HOTEL?
StayVancouverHotels.com is a sponsor of the wine festival and a website offering competitive rates on downtown Vancouver hotels. You’ll also receive a bonus gift when you make a reservation on its website. To learn more, see our article about StayVancouverHotels.com or click the above icon.
Wine Festival Video
To see what a Vancouver International Wine Festival event looked like at The Loft at Earls in Yaletown check out the following video. It shows scenes from an event in 2023, when the festival theme was South America. As you’ll see, there was plenty of wine, food, and live music to enjoy.
(Note: The musician in the video performing at the event at The Loft in 2023 is Michael Fabro. Towards the end of the video, you’ll notice he stops playing for a moment, but the music continues. That’s because the music is looped, where Michael is playing multiple parts, almost like a duet with himself. What you hear when he pauses briefly to adjust his guitar is what he was playing moments previously. He’s a talented musician!)
Other Information
To learn more about the festival and its various events, check out our main article about the Vancouver International Wine Festival or see the official Vancouver International Wine Festival website.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s February Calendar of Events
- Vancouver’s March Calendar of Events
- Vancouver Festivals & Events
- Vancouver Shows & Entertainment
- Lower Mainland Wineries
- Vancouver Breweries & Beer
- Vancouver’s Best Restaurants
Other Lower Mainland wine and other adult beverage-themed events include the following:
