MEDIA RELEASE

Hollywood Stars set to invade Osoyoos Desert Wine Festival!

May 25, 2009

Osoyoos, British Columbia -- Destination Osoyoos, in tandem with presenting sponsor Black Hills Estate Winery and the business community of Osoyoos, are announcing today that Hollywood stars will invade Osoyoos, BC for the first annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival from June 12 to 14, 2009. This special weekend is a veritable Meritage of different food and wine pairing events from regional Chefs and Winemakers. It will provide participants with the unique opportunity to rub shoulders with A-listers from the Film & Television Industry while enjoying the region’s best cuisine and wine. So far, the following celebrities have confirmed their attendance at the inaugural festival: Jason Priestley (Beverley Hills 9020, Hollywood & Vines1), Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, National Treasure), Ned Bell (Food Network), Terry David Mulligan (The Tasting Room) and Chad Oakes (Emmy award-winning producer). Other invited stars to the event include singer Jann Arden, Paul Gross (Men with Brooms, Paschendaale), Erika Eleniak (Baywatch), Canadian Olympic Gold-medal winning athlete Michelle Cameron and many others. 

To make matters more exciting, ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT CANADA, Canada’s most watched entertainment news program, will be on site in Osoyoos to capture all the fun.  ET Canada will broadcast a special week of coverage from the region and has your VIP pass into the parties and behind the scenes with the celebrities.  Supervising Producer, Leslie Wasserman, says “The Okanagan is becoming a very hot celebrity destination and ET Canada is looking forward to bringing all the highlights to our viewers.”

“We encourage everyone to come out and be part of the filming of these shows during this exciting weekend” says Jo Knight, Director of Tourism with Destination Osoyoos. “There are four different events going on as part of the inaugural Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival, each one promising to be a very entertaining experience.” 

The keynote event is the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction, with proceeds benefiting children’s charities. Participants can sip wines from an array of South Okanagan wineries and nibble on delicious appetizers from local restaurants in the “20 km Diet”. Then they can bid on rare wine from great Canadian wineries in both the Silent and Live Auctions. All proceeds go to the 2009 beneficiary which is the Providence Children's Center. (www.providencechildren.com). 

The event is co-hosted by Jason Priestley and Chad Oakes who will bring along a bunch of their Hollywood friends. “It’s a great opportunity for participants to meet and mingle with celebrities. We are looking forward to bringing Hollywood to the beautiful Osoyoos region,” says Jason Priestley. “There are so many exceptional wineries in the area, and this event and the media coverage we’re creating will help bring some richly deserved exposure to the great wines of the region”. The Celebrity Wine Auction takes place on Friday June 12, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Walnut Beach Resort. Tickets are $99.00 each. 

In addition to the Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Auction, three other great events are happening during the festival: 

1) The Nota Bene Release Party

Featuring host Jason Priestley, Celebrity Chef Ned Bell, and winemaker Graham Pierce. Celebrate the release of the latest wines from Black Hills Estate Winery while tasting the cuisine of Ned Bell and listening to the music of DJ Jenn Goulet and the live tunes of Double Magnum.
Saturday June 13, 3:00-7:00 pm, Black Hills Estate Winery. Tickets are $149.00 each.

2) Burrowing Owl Winemakers Dinner

Featuring Chef Bernard Cassavantes and the exceptional wines of Burrowing Owl.
Friday June 12, 7:30-10:30 pm, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery. Tickets are $125.00 each.

3) Desert Spirit BBQ: The official after-party! Featuring Chef Jonathan Thauberger and wines from the South Okanagan. Enjoy a casual BBQ and opportunity to socialize in an upbeat setting. 
Friday, June 12, 7-11 pm, Spirit Ridge Resort. Tickets are $49.00 each.

Tickets and further information

Tickets for all events are available for online purchase at: http://www.ticketweb.ca/snl/EventListings.action?orgId=22441
or visit  www.blackhillswinery.com

For accommodations contact the Walnut Beach Resort at www.walnutbeachosoyoos.com, or call 1-877-936-5400.

For general information on Osoyoos,  call Destination Osoyoos at 1-888-676-9667

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Media contact:

Glenn Fawcett – President, Black Hills Estate Winery
Telephone: (Cell) 403.710.1667
E-mail: glenn@blackhillswinery.com
Website:  www.blackhillswinery.com

About

Providence Children’s Center

Providence Children's Centre is a registered charitable organization dedicated to the care and development of pre-school children who have disabilities. Providence has been helping children and families since 1943 and is a leader in pioneering programs that deliver results. Providence is an experienced preschool with a highly accountable and effective educational and treatment program for children with all types of disabilities. More information can be found on Providence Children’s Centre at: www.providencechildren.com.

Destination Osoyoos

As a "grassroots" organization with dedicated people from the community, Destination Osoyoos Development Society is committed to strengthening the economic as well as the physical, social, and cultural conditions of the Osoyoos Area. The organization is driven by a Community Economic Development Strategy that is designed to reflect the wishes and aspirations of the citizens of the Osoyoos Area through an extensive community consultation process. More information about Destination Osoyoos can be found at:" www.destinationosoyoos.com

Black Hills Estate Winery

Black Hills Estate Winery is the Presenting Sponsor for the first annual Osoyoos Celebrity Wine Festival. For information on Black Hills Estate Winery, go to  www.blackhillswinery.com