Fire & Ice: BC Tasting Festival features gourmet food with the best of B.C.’s craft distilleries, breweries, wineries, and cideries

by Paul Henderson 10 hours ago 3 min read

This decadent must-attend Fraser Valley event Sept. 13 is also a fundraiser for the Chilliwack Academy of Music's outreach programs

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~ Sponsored content brought to you by The BC Tasting Festival ~

If you like your food fiery and your drinks icy, there is one place you have to be next month: The BC Tasting Festival at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre on Sept. 13.

This one-of-a-kind Fraser Valley event features some of the best small-batch distilleries, craft breweries, cideries, and wineries in B.C. with always popular themed food stations presented by Lakeside Beach Club.

As attendees bathe in the decadence of chef-inspired cuisine, award-winning spirits, a silent auction, and interactive entertainment, there will also be live musical performances throughout the evening. And all proceeds from the event will go to benefit outreach musical education programs with the Chilliwack Academy of Music whose members will be performing that live music.

The theme for this year’s event is fire and ice so attendees should come dressed hot or chill, glowing or brisk. Break out the flaming red dresses and the cool white suits, the rubies and the diamonds.

Who will be there?

With more than 20 beer, wine, cider and spirit makers in attendance, guests will literally be getting the best of the best. From local craft breweries Farmhouse, Sidekick, and Old Yale, to well-loved wineries Church & State and Quail’s Gate, there'll be drinks for every palate.

Formerly known as the Fraser Valley Distillery & Beer Festival, the BC Tasting Festival 2025 features some of the best new distillers in the province.

There is Merridale Cidery & Distillery from Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, which won gold for Best Small Batch Single Malt at the 2025 World Whiskies Awards.

Or how about East Vancouver’s Odd Society Spirits whose Commodore Canadian Single Malt Whisky won silver in 2025 at the Canadian Whisky Awards (and won medals in the five previous years as well).

Or try something you may have never tried before from across the Fraser River in Dewdney with Dragon Mist Distillery’s baijiu, a clear Chinese hard liquor made in a similar process to whisky. Dragon Mist helps keep it local as their baijiu is made with Canadian glacial water and wheat grown in Dawson Creek.

(Video from 2023 event)

Tickets are on sale now so get yours while you can. Included with every ticket is an all-access festival wristband, festival glasses for tasting, voting tokens to pick your favourites, a sizzling silent auction, body painting by Nathaniel Campbell from N8 Tattoo, a $2 oyster bar, and an exclusive VIP Lounge sponsored by Andmar. And if you like what you tasted, gold sponsor Characters Liquor Store will be on site where you can purchase your favourites.

Visit www.bctastingfestival.com for full details and to purchase tickets.

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Paul J. Henderson
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