Applications are now open for the 48th Vancouver International Wine Festival, Canada's premier trade and consumer wine show, taking place March 6-13, 2027. This is the pre-eminent opportunity to showcase and sample wines to British Columbia's sophisticated wine audience, including collectors, buyers, sommeliers, media, and influencers. Key trade attendees come from across Canada, including representatives from provincial liquor boards and top private retailers in Western Canada.

The 2027 festival will shine a spotlight on Mediterranean wines, as well as events and initiatives that attract and engage new customers to wine. There will not, however, be an official theme region (and no additional theme region fees).  

All selected wineries feature their products in the festival's Tasting Room, which hosts two trade-only tastings and four consumer International Festival Tastings over the course of three days. All wines exhibited in the Tasting Room are sold onsite at the BCLIQUOR wine shop and will be featured on the VIWF Ezfocus dashboard, which displays where wines are available in the marketplace.

Participating wineries have added opportunities to present their wines at seminars, winery dinners, wine minglers/parties, lunches and more.

Note that winery applications must be submitted by a registered and active BC wine agent on behalf of suppliers they represent in the BC market. 

Wine organizations can scroll down to discover information on how to sponsor events or organize a Regional Tasting Station.

New York's BizBash named the Vancouver International Wine Festival the #1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event in Canada, and in 2023, it was named one of the top 10 wine trade shows in the world by Wine International Association.

New to the Festival? Check out our top Reasons to Participate.

• All participating winery tables will receive two complimentary tickets for the Thursday Trade Tasting and two tickets for the Friday Trade Tasting. These tickets are for bringing buyers into the room to enhance sales opportunities. Additional Trade Tasting tickets will be available for purchase at a reduced participating agents rate.
  
• Trade Tastings will be one session from 2-5 pm on Thursday, March 11 and Friday, March 12, but buyers and trade will be distinguished by their badges.
  
• This year, participating wineries can also propose a dinner before festival week, subject to winery dinner criteria.
  
• Wineries selected to host a VIWF winery dinner will have $490 of their winery table fees returned once the event has been successfully held.
  
• Wineries hosting a vintage tasting seminar commanding a minimum $125 ticket price will have $490 from their winery table fees returned.
  
• Agencies with at least one participating winery table will have the opportunity to submit a proposal for a Spirits / RTD booth in the room.

Quick Links

The Tasting Room's six sessions are the heart of the festival, but there are many special events throughout the week, including a fundraising gala, seminars, wine minglers/parties, lunches, and dinners, for which you can submit your wines.

Full details, including any participation fees, can be found in the Special Event Wine Submission Guidelines. 

Wineries, agencies, and wine organizations also have the opportunity to propose their own event, based on the Sponsored Event Proposal Guidelines and the Winery Dinner Guidelines.

Wine organizations are encouraged to organize Regional Tasting Stations in the Tasting Room, offering an additional showcase for wines from participating wineries. The 2026 stations included Beaujolais, Bordeaux, California, and New Zealand. See Regional Tasting Station Guidelines

This year, we are also accepting applications directly from agencies/wineries for a California Regional Tasting Station and two festival wine bars: Put Some Sparkle in Your Life and Mediterranean Wines. See Special Event Wine Submission Guidelines.