COWICHAN VALLEY – This summer’s heat and sunshine meant early harvests throughout the Cowichan Valley. The agri-tourism sector is offering berries, vegetables and herbs ready for canning if you can manage to get them home before eating them all! The vineyards are exploding with grapes and this year’s bumper harvest bodes well for the 2015 vintages.
Savour Cowichan is one of the harvest celebrations in our valley when visitors have the opportunity to combine local wine, cider, beer and even vodka with farm to table delights. The Savour Cowichan Festival runs for 10 days from September 25 to October 4. A kick off public tasting event, suitably called “Barge On In” is September 25 on an enormous barge at Mill Bay Marina.
There are 40 epicurean events during Savour Cowichan, including Grape to Plate Cooking Class at Hudson’s on First, Pig Roast at Enrico Winery, White Dinner at Rocky Creek Winery, International Citta Slow Celebration at Cherry Point Vineyards, Smokehouse Saturday at The Old Fork…and more! There is even a daily “Jump On Jump Off” shuttle service to all the Savour locations: Merridale Estate Cider, Blue Grouse Winery, Rocky Creek Winery, Ampersand Distilling Company, Averill Creek Vineyards, Cherry Point Vineyards, Damali Lavender & Winery, Domaine Jasmin Winery, Enrico Winery, Red Arrow Brewery, Silverside Farm & Winery, Tea Farm, Unsworth Vineyards, Venturi Schulze and Zanatta Vineyards. Check the Savour Cowichan website for all the details.
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The Chamber also launches the 2015/16 Event Season in September with a luncheon at Providence Farm. Providence is home to the Farm Table Restaurant largely staffed by culinary students from Vancouver Island University. Providence is also a therapeutic community and luncheon guests will learn about their innovative programs in woodworking, agriculture, horticulture and more.
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The Chamber is organizing the 3rd Annual Business Showcase, presented by Scotiabank on October 23rd. This is one of many events held on the Island to celebrate Small Business Week, October 19 – 23. A full day of networking and professional development is planned including: two morning seminars featuring digital marketing and market analysis, a presentation on the aerospace sector – one of the fastest growing industries on Vancouver Island, and the day closes with a Mixer sponsored by Community Futures Cowichan. The exhibits run all afternoon and are open to the public.
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On October 6, the Chamber is holding an All Candidates Meeting to help voters prepare for the federal election on October 19. Electoral boundary changes created the new Cowichan-Malahat-Langford riding and all the candidates will be on hand for this moderated session. Questions will be accepted from the floor, via social media and from the business community.
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Latest News for the Cowichan is the development of the Vancouver Island Motorsport Resort, touted to be Canada’s premier club motorsport facility. Opening in spring 2016, the resort will offer enthusiasts up to 350 driving days per year in which to enjoy the full potential of their performance cars. Phase One of the track is almost complete with paving set for this fall. Speeds of up to 200 km/h will be reached on the high speed sectors of the circuit! When Phase Two is completed, a total of 4.2 kilometres of track will be available. An exclusive 15,000 sqft Clubhouse is planned, and Motorsport Resort members will have the option of staying at the exclusive Partner Hotel (details to be announced soon). This project is a unique facility which will have a significant economic impact to the region. More details can be found at www.islandmotorsportresort.com.
– Sonja Nagel is Executive Director of the Duncan Cowichan Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at manager@duncancc.bc.ca or 250-748-1111.
