Vancouver's best-kept restaurant secrets

Directly from the Okanagan Feast of Fields Press Release:

Kelowna, BC: FarmFolk/CityFolk  is pleased to announce the location and date for the Okanagan’s first Feast of Fields event. On Sunday, August 23, Summerland’s Valentine Farm will play host to the celebration of farmers, vintners, chefs, artisans and producers of all kinds.

“The event represents participants from across the entire Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys,” says Rhys Pender, local event coordinator. “Summerland’s central Okanagan location is an ideal spot to kick off the region’s first Feast of Fields and Valentine Farm offers everything we need to stage an exceptional culinary celebration.”

Early bird tickets for FarmFolk/CityFolk’s fundraising event will go on sale today, Friday, May 15 at www.feastoffields.com. Tickets start at $75 for adults and $15 for children and are available at this price until June 30 when the regular price comes into effect.

Feast of Fields showcases the strong connections between farmer and chef and highlights producers of Okanagan wine, beer and artisanal food products. The area’s food and agricultural communities unite to present a fantastic culinary showcase while raising awareness of the importance and enjoyment of eating locally. Stay tuned to see who is participating!

The Feast of Fields experience takes guests on a delicious journey through the area’s many faces and flavours. Upon arrival at the host farm they are handed a wine glass, a linen napkin and a program that outlines all that’s on offer to see, drink and eat. Wandering throughout the farm, guests meet chefs, farmers, vintners, brewers and food artisans, to taste their products, ask questions, and learn more about where their food comes from.

Directly from the Vancouver Feast of Fields Press Release:

15th Annual Feast of Fields Fundraiser

Prepare your taste buds!  FarmFolk/CityFolk’s annual foodie fundraiser will be returning to UBC Farm, Vancouver’s only working farmland, on September 13th 2009. This extravagant event highlights the many connections between farmers and chefs from across British Columbia. Savour a wide variety of delectable appetizers prepared by the best BC chefs, and quench your thirst with the finest wines from across the province, all the while increasing your awareness of local food.  BC’s restaurants, wineries, micro-breweries and food producers are getting ready to tempt your palate!  Don’t miss out on Feast of Fields–Vancouver’s gourmet picnic festival.

September 13th 2009     1pm-5pm
UBC Farm    6182 South Campus Road, Vancouver, BC

INFO: feastoffields.com or 604.730.0450
Early Bird tickets available on-line June 1st at feastoffields.com for $75
Regular priced tickets available August 1st at feastoffields.com and at all Choices Markets for $85.

Directly from the Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Press Release:

Oliver, BC… Outdoor concerts are an excellent way to spend your summer evenings, and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards is the best place to take it all in.  Plus, they have put together a summer line-up you just can’t miss.  Once a month, from May through September, Tinhorn Creek hosts a Canadian band or musician in their picturesque outdoor amphitheatre, helping you to sit back and soak up the summer all while supporting our local artists.

Kicking the season off on May 23rd, The Town Pants will take the stage, belting out their signature “West Coast Celtic” style - combining aspects of Irish traditional, acoustic pop, roots Americana, and even Australian and Mexican influences. Next up, on June 27th, is singer/songwriter Alex Cuba, bringing his trademark sugarcane-sweet melodies, pop-soul hooks and rock chords that subtly subvert commonly held notions of what Cuban music is.  Following Cuba is Hey Ocean!, a young band with an extraordinary talent for blending various musical styles into a brand of infectious pop that is uniquely their own, who will roll into town on July 25th. Then on August 22nd, Current Swell delivers their distinctive style of music, deeply rooted in folk and blues, reggae inspired, and rock driven. If that isn’t enough for you, to top it off on September 19th Juno Award winning Corb Lund and his band, the Hurtin’ Albertans, will put on a show to close the season.

Tickets for both the Canadian Concert Series (The Town Pants, Alex Cuba, Hey Ocean!, Current Swell) and Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans are still available by calling the winery at 1.888.484.6467.  Purchase a season’s pass (tickets to all 4 Canadian Concert Series shows) for $125, or go show-by-show for $35 each.  Tickets to Corb Lund are $200 and include a pre-concert barbeque and cowboy hat.