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Snapshot: 33rd Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival

Dates: March 28 – April 3 2011                   

Regional Theme: Spain                  

Global Focus: Fortified Wine

 

Canada’s premier wine event offering a wealth of public events and a comprehensive Trade Days Conference Events include the International Festival Tastings (the hub of the festival), Bacchanalia Gala Dinner+ Auction, various winery dinners, lunches, brunches, wine seminars, wine minglers, wine grazings with 10 trade-only seminars and tastings.

 

Venues: Vancouver Convention Centre (headquarters) and some of Vancouver’s top restaurants and hotels. During the festival more than 70 of Vancouver’s most celebrated restaurants, caterers and specialty food suppliers participate.

 

2011 Projections:

176 wineries (33 Theme Region Wineries)  * 14 countries * 63 events * 25,000 attendees

 

Consumer Demographics

Urban professionals discover new wines at Playhouse Winefest

The 25,000 wine lovers and trade who flock to the Playhouse Winefest, widely regarded as “the best wine show on the continent,” are young, affluent professionals who purchase on average 7.5 bottles of wine per month and visit restaurants weekly.  Their primary reason for attending the festival is to “discover new wines.” The average age is 39 while 33.7 percent are 35 or younger. Vancouver has a highly developed, educated wine market that is considered to be three to five years ahead of North American wine trends.

 

Gender

Male	42.2%
Female	57.8%

 

Age

19 - 25	2.3%
26 - 30	14.7%
31 - 35	16.7%
36 - 40	15.6%
41 - 45	11.3%
46 - 50	13.8%
51 - 55	12.4%
56 - 60	5.9%
61 - 65	4.5%
Over 65	2.9%

 

Household income Average household income:

$30,000 - $50,000	10.3%
$51,000 - $75,000	11.6%
$76,000 - $100,000	21.4%
$101,000 - $125,000	15.8%
$126,000 - $150,000	13.7%
$151,000 - $175,000	7.4%
$176,000 - $200,000	6.9%
Over $200,000	11.6

 

Education

High School Diploma	4.8%
Some College	10.2%
College Degree	12.0%
Some University	7.4%
University Degree	65.6%

 

Monthly Wine Purchases (Bottles)

1	3.6%
2	13.2%
4	28.8%
8	23.1%
10	20.4%
20 or more	10.9%

 

Monthly Restaurant Visits (w/wine lists)

1	11.9%
2	24.9%
4	35.1%
8	16.2%
10	10.1%
20 or more	1.8%

 

Primary Reasons for Attending Festival

Discover new wines	89.9%
Wine Education and Information	61.7%
Fun and Entertainment	74.5%
Socializing with Friends	53.0%
Learn more about food and wine pairing	29.5%
Networking	6.9%
Career Development	6.0%
Working or Business	5.1%
Other	3.1%

 

“It's considered by many in the industry to be the best wine event in North America ... and the festival's reputation is well-deserved.” Peter Rockwell, The Halifax Daily News

 

“There isn’t a better-organized, more in-depth wine festival in Canada than the weeklong fundraiser for the Playhouse Theatre Company.” Michael Vaughan, The National Post (Toronto)

 

“Everyone agrees it is the best consumer wine show on the continent ... for nearly three decades, the festival has energized our region’s food and wine culture.” Anthony Gismondi, The Vancouver Sun­