Vancouver
#1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
About 25,000 festivalgoers sniffed, swirled, and sipped from a selection of 1,700 wines by 180 wineries from 16 countries in 2017, sampling or stocking their cellars with 43,000 bottles of wine. Portugal and Spain will be the featured countries next year, the festival's 40th anniversary. Major sponsors include Delta and the Vancouver Sun. Next: February 24-March 4, 2018
St. Catharines
#2 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
About 140,000 wine-lovers are expected to sip their way around the region this year, when the theme of the Grande Parade is Canada 150: Strong, Proud & Free. Upwards of 50 wineries and 12 culinary partners were set to participate in 2017, and the Grape Growers of Ontario returned as a key sponsor. Next: September 2018
Toronto
#3 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #7)
Returning to the Enercare Centre this year, Canada’s largest foodservice trade event celebrated Canada 150 with a Nations Feast. Attendance grew by 14 percent to 16,200 chefs, owners, managers, and buyers in 2017, and Stella Artois returned as a show partner. Next: February 25-27, 2018
Toronto
#5 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
Tickets for the sudsy celebration sold out again in 2017, as a record 35,000 people attended. Canada was the country in focus, and the Canada 150 Pavilion featured beers from across the country. Rockers Sloan and Alan Doyle performed at Exhibition Place’s Bandshell Park. Next: July 2018
Montreal
#6 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #8)
Great weather, an expanded venue, and a bigger stage for the French-Canadian musicians drove attendance to 80,000 this year, up from 55,000, for this downtown maple-sugar festival. Grocer Metro and paper-products company Cascades sponsored. Next: March 1-31, 2018
Toronto
#7 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
Attendance remained steady—about 40,000 guests—for last year’s event, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. TD Bank Pride Night V.I.P. Social was a highlight, along with the national finals for the Mott’s Clamato Best Caesar in Town competition. Post Media Network will sponsor in 2017. Next: November 16-19, 2017
Charlottetown
#8 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #9)
Attendance at the crustacean celebration grew by eight percent in 2016, and 10,000 guests were expected in 2017. Celebrity chef Lynn Crawford served as host, and 20 kinds of oysters were on offer. Prize money for chefs and shuckers remained at $26,000; mayo maker Hellmann’s joined as a sponsor. Next: September 2018
Toronto
#9 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (new to the list)
About 130,000 nocturnal noshers turned up over three nights at the authentic Asian food market in 2017. TD Canada Trust returned as the title sponsor, and the event’s charitable partner was homelessness organization Raising the Roof. Next: July 2018
Okanagan Valley
#10 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #11)
The festival's six signature events were expected to sell out again this year, including Cropped, British Columbia’s largest wine-tasting and farmers’ market. Valley First Credit Union is the presenting sponsor this year. Next: September 28-October 8, 2017
