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Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive members to welcome festive season

Wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries to hold special events and offer samples
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POURING WINE Roie Manoff of Silkscarf Winery in Summerland pours wine during a previous Light Up the Vines event. This year, members of Bottleneck Drive will participate in the ninth annual Light Up the Vines. (Summerland Review file photo)

Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive Association will hold its ninth annual Light Up the Vines event to mark the festive season.

The free event welcomes visitors to tour along Bottleneck Drive and visit wineries, cideries, breweries and distilleries who have decorated their vineyards, orchards and tasting rooms for the holidays.

“Our local tasting rooms look forward to Light Up the Vines every year,” said Rick Thrussell, president of Bottleneck Drive. “Everyone has fun decorating and getting ready to kick-off the Christmas season.”

He added that guests travel from around the Okanagan each year to visit vineyards, orchards and tasting rooms.

On Saturday, Nov. 23 from 3 to 8 p.m.. wineries will offer a “Sneak-a-peek” day to allow visitors to get a taste of what’s to come the following main event weekend.

The Light up Summerland festivities begin on Friday Nov. 29 from 4 to 9 p.m. downtown along Main Street for the annual Festival of Lights.

Bottleneck Drive will have a hospitality zone open from 5 to 9 p.m. selling local beverages by the glass.

On Saturday, Nov. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 1 from 3 to 8 p.m., Bottleneck Drive’s 18 wineries, three cideries brewery, and distillery will open their doors and turn on the holiday lights.

Visitors can enjoy tastings, live music, holiday lights and special discounts on wines, ciders, beer and spirits, just in time for holiday entertaining and gift-giving.

Some of the tasting rooms will offer special treats like warm spiced cider or mulled wine, bonfires and complimentary snacks.

Visitors also have a chance to win a prize package valued at more than $500 by collecting five stamps with a Light Up the Vines passport, available at participating tasting rooms along the way. Tasting fees may apply and include donations to Critteraid and the Summerland Food Bank.



John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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