Grape and Wine Festival aims to grow in 2023

The Niagara Grape and Wine Festival will serve up a distinctive blend of beloved community traditions and fun new guest experiences when its Montebello Wine and Culinary Village opens in St. Catharines this September.

Established in 1951, the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival is Canada’s oldest and largest wine and culinary festival. The 2023 Grape and Wine will be the 72nd annual harvest and homecoming celebration, with festivities planed over three weekends from September 8-24.

The City of St. Catharines is among the founding partners for Grape and Wine and proud hosts of many of the festival’s signature events at Montebello Park and it’s two Grape and Wine parades in Downtown St. Catharines. St. Catharines is also proud to be home to some of the amazing wineries featured as part of Grape and Wine festivities.

TeamSTC is committed to building a strong and diverse local economy and Grape and Wine continually helps move that mandate forward as a significant community and economic driver.

• Grape and Wine programming attracts more than 90,000 winery visits each year to producers across Niagara.
• In 2022, Grape and Wine attracted an estimated 95,000 visitors to Downtown St. Catharines for the September festivities
• Grape and Wine contributed more than $5 million in tourism spending in Niagara.
• More than 80 St. Catharines-based businesses, artists and associations were employed by Grape and Wine in 2022, totaling over $500,000 in billing.
• 12 small businesses from St. Catharines were featured as part of new Grape and Wine Month program

Among Grape and Wines 2023 goals are attracting new audiences, such as culinary explorers, food and wine enthusiasts, weekend getaway goers, and providing a variety of programming in- and out-of park to encourage longer stays in Niagara. New Grape and Wine programing at Montebello Park includes a cocktail lounge set in the park’s historic rose garden serving up delicious drinks made with grape-based spirits, a series of exclusive educational seminars showcasing female chefs and winemakers and more.

In addition to three weekends of touring wineries in St. Catharines and Niagara, the Wine and Culinary Village experience opens in Montebello Park in Downtown St. Catharines the final two weekend of Grape and Wine and features more than 100 Niagara VQA wines and local culinary options. Guests can also enjoy live entertainment, access to educational wine seminars, cocktail and wine lounges, VIP cabanas and a family fun zone. Admission to the park is free.

Visit www.niagarawinefestival.com for full Grape and Wine details.