Now in its fourth decade, the Tri-Cities Wine Festival offers a public tasting event where casual and serious wine lovers can advance their knowledge of Northwest wines while meeting winemakers, winery owners and their knowledgeable staff. This premiere event is the oldest, continuously running judged wine festival in the Northwest. The two-day festival will be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Wash., on November 4th and 5th, 2011.
Events details for the Friday/Saturday event is as follows:
Best of Show Wine Dinner: Friday, November 4th, 6:30-10:00pm, $95. Tickets for the Best of Show Wine Dinner event are available through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster outlets and the Toyota Center Box Office at the Toyota Center, which is next to the Convention Center. Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance. Deadline is Tuesday, November 1. More details on Best of Show Wine Dinner here.
Time & Terroir: A Sensory Experience – Seminar: Saturday, November 5 – 1:00 – 2:30 PM, and cost is $45 per person. Tickets for the seminar are available through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster outlets and the Toyota Center Box Office at the Toyota Center, which is next to the Convention Center. More info about the seminar here.
Gala Wine Tasting: Saturday, November 5 – 7:00 – 10:00 PM – $70 per person. Saturday night, starting at 7:00 PM and lasting until 10:00 PM, the Three Rivers Convention Center Great Hall will be a fabulous concentration of Northwest Wines. About 100 wineries are expected to be pouring samples of more than 400 wines. During the evening, the award winners are announced in a festive display marking the winning wines with medals and the positioning of balloons to signal where the bronze, silver and gold medals can be found. Finally, the much-anticipated “Best of Show Award” is presented to the wine deemed by the judges to best represent the finest example of craftsmanship and style. More info about the Gala Wine Tasting here.
Tickets for the Wine Gala are available through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster outlets and the Toyota Center Box Office at the Toyota Center, which is next to the Convention Center.
Silent Auction: Saturday, November 5 – 7:00 – 10:00 PM* During the Gala Wine Tasting, the Silent Auction also takes place. NEW THIS YEAR, all Silent Auction items will be in the Great Hall with the wineries and food. The Silent Auction features many one-time opportunities for wines and wine-related arts and gifts. Part of the proceeds from the Silent Auction are earmarked to support the Tri-Cities Wine Society’s educational fund through the Washington Wine Industry Foundation for students in area viticulture or enology programs * Doors open at 6:30 PM for Tri-Cities Wine Society members.
Ticket Sale For Events
Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster, Ticketmaster outlets and the Toyota Center Box Office at the Toyota Center, which is next to the Convention Center. Tickets for the Best of Show Wine Dinner, Friday, November 4, must be purchased in advance. Tickets for the Seminar and Gala Wine Tasting, Saturday, November 5, can be purchased in advance or at the door. All events are open to the public. Attendees must be at least 21 years of age and have a photo ID. Attendees will not be admitted without valid ID, regardless if what age they appear to look. More info on Tickets Sales here.
More History About the Tri-Cities Wine Festival
The Tri-Cities Wine Festival began in 1979 as a fundraiser for a new copier for the Tri-Cities Visitor & Convention Bureau. However, it was also envisioned as a vehicle for promoting Northwest wines, and the Tri-Cities as a tourist destination. The festival was held in July during Water Follies weekend at the Hanford House Thunderbird Hotel in Richland. Modeled after the Seattle Wine Festival, the event featured over 40 wines from 13 Northwest wineries. The only advertising was a sandwich board in front of the hotel. In 1990 the Tri-Cities Wine Society assumed sponsorship. Through the help of several area supporters, the Society received enough seed money to continue the festival. The festival has continued each year, and as the Pacific Northwest wine industry has grown and changed, so has the festival.