Penticton Visitor Information

Thinking of a quick get-away form Vancouver, Calgary, Spokane or Seattle? With all it has to offer, it takes less than a tank of gas to get to Penticton from any of these cities. Why not a weekend of skiing and wine touring capped off with a superb dining experience at one of the area’s fabulous eateries? US visitors especially will watch their dollar go a long, long way. Winter rates mean there are great deals on rooms available. See you soon!

PENTICTON – With the launch of the Penticton Sport Tourism Commission, a concerted drive is underway to position Penticton as a premier destination for tournaments and sporting events. The commission is a non-profit volunteer group governed by an advisory board of sports, business and public leaders.

Commission Director, Gordon Ferguson said, “The goal of the Sport Tourism Commission is to significantly increase tourism year round in Penticton and the surrounding area through the creation of new local sporting events, by growing existing sporting events and by attracting regional, national and international sporting events to the area.”

Over the years, sport tourism has played an important role in Penticton, with annual events such as the Ironman Canada, 2004 BC Senior Games and the 2006 Freestyle FIS World Cup, bringing thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to the city.

The commission will primarily focus on shoulder and winter season opportunities by providing assistance for individuals and groups in bid development, logistical planning, media and public relations and help with recruiting sponsors and volunteers for sporting events. The commission will soon also have a website to promote Sport Tourism in Penticton at www.pentictonsports.ca. The commission can be reached by email at gordon@pentictonsports.ca.

The commission will aggressively take the lead in identifying and bidding on specific sporting events for Penticton and the surrounding area, with the goal of making it the prime destination for athletic competitions.

Snowbirds looking for an affordable alternative to heading south will find a great solution in Penticton, BC. With one of Canada’s mildest winters and a warm, friendly seniors population, including a large flock of former Snowbirds who’ve roosted here year-round, Penticton welcomes wintering seniors with great accommodation rates. If you’d like more information on wintering in Penticton go to our Snowbirds section.

PENTICTON – The seventh annual “Going Once… Going Twice…” Benefit Wine Auction, Saturday, October 4^th at the Ramada Inn & Suites, has become one of the most anticipated events of the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival. With its winning combination of fun, superb wines, fine food, plus the chance to bid on rare and unique wine offerings, the auction attracts knowledgeable wine lovers from across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, drawn by the successes of Okanagan wines in international wine competitions and their growing presence on the world stage. The auction presents a unique opportunity to acquire collectible, rare Okanagan wine offerings.

Highlight items on the auction block this year include the only barrel of 2007 Nota Bene from Blackhills Estate Winery that will ever be available. This important wine has established a dedicated following and its entire 2006 release sold out in just 45 minutes.

Equally notable is a barrel of Jackson-Triggs 2006 Sunrock Shiraz, an exclusive single-vineyard release from Block 41 of Sunrock Vineyards that has been catching the attention of noted wine experts, such as John Schreiner.

The auction has items from over 33 of the Okanagan’s most important vineyards. The offerings include:

· A 12 Bottle Collection of Award-Winning Wines from Wild Goose Vineyards.

· The last 3-litre bottle of Jackson-Triggs’ award-winning 2004 Grand Reserve Shiraz in existence.

· Wines signed by some of the Okanagan’s legendary winemakers.

· Award-wining collections from renowned Okanagan vineyards such as Hillside Estate, Cedar Creek, Laughing Stock, Burrowing Owl, Domaine Combret and many others.

For a complete list of auction items go to: www.pentictonramada.com/sponsors_08.html

The auction features wines from the sponsoring wineries complemented by tantalizing culinary offerings featuring local fare and exotic delicacies prepared by the Ramada Inn & Suites’ executive chef and his talented staff. Auctioneer Rick Thorpe will be the master of ceremonies and entertainment will be provided by Kyle Anderson and the Rubber Band, Nathalie Lewis’ About Time and harpist Ingrid Schellenberg.

Started in 2001 and one of the Premier Wine Festival Events of the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival, the auction raises funds for viniculture scholarships at Okanagan University College. The scholarship fund is administered by the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan.

More information and tickets can be obtained by calling the Ramada Inn & Suites, (250) 492-8926 or 1-800-665-4966.

PENTICTON – Highlight items in this year’s “Going Once… Going Twice…” Benefit Wine Auction will be a barrel of Blackhills Estate Winery 2007 Nota Bene and a barrel of Jackson-Triggs 2006 Sunrock Shiraz.

Nota Bene has established itself, since 1999, as one of the most anticipated Okanagan red wine releases each year and a ‘must have’ for every serious wine cellar. Noted wine writer, John Schreiner wrote in April, 2006 “Nota Bene - blink and you’ll miss it!”. In 2007, the entire stock of the wine sold out in 47 minutes. Along with the only barrel of 2007 Nota Bene that will be available, the winning bidder will also receive a V.I.P. tour of Blackhills Estate for themselves and up to twelve guests.

Sunrock Shiraz from Jackson-Triggs is “An exclusive single vineyard release from Sunrock Vineyards’ Block 41”. Since 2001 this wine has garnered international acclaim, recognition and awards along with rave reviews from respected wine writers such as John Schreiner and Tim Pawsey.

In addition to the two barrels on the auction block, there will be over a dozen large format bottles featuring wines from the Okanagan’s exclusive vineyards along with many collectors’ editions and signed bottles.

The Ramada Inn & Suites’ “Going Once… Going Twice…” Benefit Wine Auction, in its seventh year, is one of the Premier Wine Festival Events of the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival. The event, which presents a fabulous evening of wine, food and fun, raises funds for viniculture scholarships to Okanagan University College. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, October 4^th. More information and tickets can be obtained by calling the Ramada Inn & Suites, (250) 492-8926.

Why not slip away for a few days on Penticton’s beautiful beaches? Check out the great July room specials offered by the Tiki Shores Beach Resort, located right at Penticton’s Okanagan Beach in the heart of the destination resort district.

Canada’s largest and most fun regional bridge tournament runs from June 9th to the 15th. The 2008 Penticton Regional Bridge Tournament hosted by District 19 of the ACBL will take place at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre. Visitors from around BC, Washington State and Alaska will join local bridge players for a chance at team trophies. It’s not all serious bridge, however: players will enjoy food, wine, entertainment and plenty of fun while enjoying all the local  attractions that  Penticton offers, including  wine tours, golf  and plenty to see, do and enjoy.

Upcoming events of note for visitors are the Peach City Beach Cruise, June 20 - 22 and the Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival which runs June 27 - 29.

The Beach Cruise, which bills itself as: “Canada’s premier three day family oriented Car Event” with “hundreds of the finest hot rods, millennium, antique and classic cars from all over Canada and the United States” has thrilled thousands of fans since it began.

Celebrating “the life and music of the greatest entertainer ever known… Elvis Presley”, the 6th Annual Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival brings together top tribute artists and thousands of Elvis fans for a fun-filled 3-day event.

This year’s Spring Wine Festival, which has now grown to 10 days and more than 90 events, was a resounding success with close to sold events attracting thousands of food and wine fans. Bacchanalia, held at the Penticton Lakeside Resort and a perennial favourite, was again sold out and a new event, Chefs and Wine at the Penticton Trade and Convention centre attracted almost 200 people to sample culinary works from three outstanding Okanagan chefs and wines from 26 participating wineries. The event was sponsored by Terasen Gas. The chefs worked in a portable kitchen that allowed them to give a televised commentary as they worked.

In Penticton, the May long weekend is the start of the summer season. Visitors arrive to soak up the sun on the beach, head out to visit wineries and explore wine country, the season’s first hikers and bikers venture along the Kettle Valley Trail, climbers tackle Skaha Bluffs, golfers tee up on the beautiful, challenging courses and shoppers throng the Saturday Farmers Market.

The May long weekend also features the Meadowlark Festival that celebrates the Okanagan’s superb environment with its abundance of unique habitats, plants and wildlife.