How does sipping cocktails on the lawn on a beautiful summer day sound to you?
If you're responding 'yes, please' then the first-ever Canada Craft Spirits Festival is for you.
On Saturday, June 24, two events will be held on the lawn in front of the Rotary Centre for the Arts in downtown Kelowna.
From noon to 3 pm, Gin & Cakes will allow you to pair gin and gin cocktails with baked confections.
Yes, the botanicals and florals of Canadian craft gins are the perfect pairing with sweet cakes -- especially at garden party.
While the soiree is called Gin & Cakes, there will be cocktails made from other spirits there, as well as art displays and live music.
From 4 to 7 pm, the Main Event will see 24 exhibitors set up on the lawn so you can sample small cocktails, cider, wine and beer.
Some of the exhibitors committed to being there are Forbidden Spirits from Kelowna, Urban Distilleries from West Kelowna, Elder Bros Farms Distillery from Creston and Misguided Spirits from Coombs on Vancouver Island.
"The events will be held outdoors and we also have the atrium of the Rotary Centre for the Arts, so we have two great spaces to promote and showcase Canadian craft spirits," said David Mossman, executive director of the Kelowna-based Canadian Craft Spirits Association.
"This is our first-ever Canada Craft Spirits Festival and it's being held in Kelowna because that's where the association is and we have a lot of great craft spirits producers here."
The Kelowna fest will also launch a series of other Canada Craft Spirits Festivals across the country over the next two years.
Each fest will spotlight spirits local to that region and then there will also be a Canadian pavilion at every fest where gold-medal-winning spirits from across the country can be poured.
Up to 500 spirits lovers are expected at each the Gin & Cakes and Main Event parties.
Tickets are $35 for each event and include admission and two drink tickets.
Additional tastes will be available for an extra cost.
More information and tickets at www.spiritsfest.ca.
