Lions Club wine, beer, and spirit festival returns

Yorktonites will enjoy an evening of local and provincial wines, spirits, beers, and foods at the Gallagher Center this month.

The Yorkton Lions Club is hosting the 15th annual Wine, Beer, and Spirits Tasting Festival with a Taste of the Parkland. The event is being held inside the Flexihall on Saturday, Sept. 23 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Individual tickets cost $25.

“It’s a bigger venue this year,” said Glen Gelowitz, chair of the food vendors for the event. “We normally have 400 people each year. We expect a 1000 plus patrons [this year].”

The event, which began as an amateur wine-making competition, has expanded to beers and spirits over the years. The festival attracts local drink crafters such as Back 40 and companies from farther away.

“Some come from Winnipeg and Regina,” Gelowitz said.

Gelowitz thinks the wide array of drinks offers something for everyone.

“[There are] different samplings for different people,” he said.

The Yorkton United Football Club is helping with the festival this year. Their involvement kicks off their fundraising effort to build an indoor soccer facility near Queen Street and Gladstone Avenue.

“We’ve grown in leaps and bounds,” said club president Dawn Smith. She said the club needs a new facility to host its teams.

“You shouldn’t always expect tax dollars to do this stuff,” she said.

The football club is promoting tickets to the event and they’ll be at the Flexihall to help vendors and patrons.

Food will also be on site. Tapps, Windy Acres, Cafe Juan, and others will be offering appetizers and entrees.

“Three years ago I came up with the Taste of Yorkton to promote local restaurants,” Gelowitz said.

For the first time in the event’s history, patrons can buy full bottles of their favourite samples. The Yorkton Hotel will be operating a retail sales booth. Purchases cannot be consumed on the premises.

People looking for tickets can contact Lions Club members, Let’s Make Wine, the Secutek information kiosk in the Gallagher Center, the Canada Soccer Shop, or Yorkton soccer members.

Further questions can be sent to [email protected] or the Yorkton Lions Facebook page.