Back in April, we reached out to our readers for help in naming the best of the best people, places and businesses in Kelowna.
In May, we tallied your nominations and came up with a list for you to vote for your favourites in each category.
In June, we counted the votes and celebrated those who reached the podium at our Best of Kelowna party.
Now, we want to celebrate Best Of Kelowna year-round!
This bi-weekly series will showcase the top three winners of select categories and give you some facts about them to help you gain familiarity with who Kelowna voted as the top dogs in their respective fields.
Kelowna’s festivals and events are one of the many qualities that make it such a great place to live. From showcasing local talent to encouraging local businesses and tourism, these events bring the community together in so many ways - plus, they’re a lot of fun!
The number of events and festivals taking place in Kelowna seem to grow with each passing year, and many of the city’s long-lasting events just keep getting better and better. Here is a little more information about the top three medalists for the 2017 Best Event or Festival, in Kelowna this year, as voted by you!
A production of Festivals Kelowna, Parks Alive! is an ongoing festival which takes place mainly throughout the summer months. It holds true to its name by bringing the city’s various parks to life with performances by talented musicians.
Most of the performers are local, and the shows are free, though donations are accepted. Parks Alive! also won Gold in the Best of Kelowna 2016, and silver in 2015 and 2014. The festival is loved for its amazing variety of entertainment and accessibility to anyone and everyone.
Another great event put on by Festivals Kelowna, the Canada Day Festival is held downtown every July 1st. Attendees get to enjoy live music, food and art vendors, kid-friendly activities and more. There is no charge to attend and there are many free experiences to enjoy at the festival.
The Canada Day Festival also took home silver for Best of Kelowna for the past two years, and Gold for the two years prior. This is definitely one of Kelowna’s favourite ways to celebrate Canada’s birthday every year!
It’s no secret that Kelownians love their wine, and this fact is only reinforced by the many votes this organization received this year! The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society puts on several events throughout the year which vary greatly, but always have one thing in common: wine.
From enjoying tastings atop a mountain, to offering the chance to sample several wines from around the Okanagan all in one place, the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is well-loved in Kelowna. The organization has taken home Silver, Bronze and Gold medals in different categories for the last several years.
These events and festivals truly help bring our city to life! We can’t wait to see what they have planned next, and who will be nominated for next year’s contest. Congratulations to all nominees and finalists, and thank you to everyone who voted.
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