NIAGARA GRAPE & WINE FESTIVAL OFFERS A SEPTEMBER OF CANADIAN WINE, FOOD AND MUSIC TO CELEBRATE HARVEST
ST. CATHARINES, ON, Sept. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - After a summer of surging Ontario wine sales, Canada's oldest and largest wine festival will provide wine, food, and music enthusiasts with even more reasons to pour some patriotic pride at the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival.
Harvest Season, Through the Palate of a Winemaker
The month-long Festival launched this past weekend with the Discovery Pass touring program, being hosted at 22 different Niagara wineries. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through September 21, Discovery Pass holders can travel to three or six wineries of their choice and enjoy signature wine and food pairings at each stop. Each pairing has been personally chosen by the winemakers—featuring the wines they love most and the comforting seasonal dishes they turn to during the busy harvest season. Sample pairings include:
- 180 Estate Winery's 2024 Gamay Noir with Smokey Bacon Mac n' Cheese
- Sue-Ann Staff's Foxy Farm Girl Pink paired with a Gourmet Hot Dog with Grilled Corn and Feta Salsa
- Trius 2024 Rosé paired with a Watermelon and Yoghurt Popsicle
- Marynissen Estates 2021 Heritage Pinot Noir paired with Smoky BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Mocktail, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-friendly, and dairy-friendly options ensure a delicious Discovery Pass experience for all.
Get complete Discovery Pass details.
Sample Your Way Through Canada's Biggest Tasting Bar
From September 25 through 28, St. Catharines' historic Montebello Park serves as the hub for all things Grape & Wine. A massive wine and culinary village will offer Grape & Wine revelers the opportunity to choose from a selection of over 100 different Niagara VQA wines and creative wine-based cocktails, and pair these Niagara treasures with an eclectic mix of high-end food festival fare, like Smoked Shrimp Tacos With Garlic Lime Aioli from Comfort Kitchen; Pulled Pork Sandwich With Apple Kale Slaw from Fireside Drive, Or Burrata With Grilled Niagara Plums And Prosciutto From Bolete.
While admission to the Montebello Park Wine & Culinary Village is free on September 26, 27, and 28, optional experience upgrades like VIP Wine Cabanas, which include the services of a dedicated Wine Butler, and Harvest Lounge access, which offers comfy seating and premium wine selections, are available for purchase.
Sip To A Loud and Proud Canadian Soundtrack
Since great Canadian wines call for great Canadian music, this year's Grape & Wine Festival will turn up the volume on the Montebello Park fun with a September 25 concert featuring The Watchmen and Lowest of the Low, and a Funklectic DJ Night on Friday, September 26 showcasing the spinning skills of a diverse collection of DJs, including Montreal's DJ LYKZ. On Saturday, September 27, the Montebello Park music lineup starts rocking right after the Grande Parade, with six favourite Niagara bands. The Festival's final day, Sunday, September 28, will feature an international music stage with popular acts ranging from Ska courtesy of Trish to a high-energy Soca closeout by The Band Destiny.
See the complete Grape & Wine Montebello Park schedule.
Bring The Kids For Family-Friendly Activities
Families who prefer to travel as a pack will want to mark Sunday, September 28, on their calendars to enjoy Grape & Wine's Family Fun Day, complete with inflatables, crafts, and games for kids of all ages. The annual Pied Piper Family Parade, which will close out the Festival that day, invites kids to don costumes celebrating Niagara's farming heritage and make their way through a parade route that winds through the park before participating in a flash-mob style grand finale!
Get complete Parade and Family Fun details.
"This September, the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival is without a doubt the best place on the planet to celebrate what's grown and made right here in Canada! Whether guests choose to explore Niagara wine country to try the favourite varietals of 22 different winemakers with our Discovery Pass touring program, or sip their way through a choice of over 100 Niagara wines at Canada's largest tasting bar at Montebello Park, they'll experience first-hand the immense pride that Niagara feels for the grapes we grow and the wines we make here," said Niagara Grape & Wine Festival Executive Direction, Dorian Anderson.
For complete Grape & Wine Festival programming details, please visit www.niagarawinefestival.com.
About Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
Thanks to generous support from the City of St. Catharines, the Grape Growers of Ontario, the Wine Marketing Association of Ontario, the Ontario Government's Experience Ontario program, and many other generous sponsors, the 2025 Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, Canada's oldest and largest wine festival, is celebrating its 74th anniversary with 13 days of September programming filled with creative ways to celebrate Canadian wine, food, music and fun. For complete details, visit www.niagarawinefestival.com.
SOURCE Niagara Grape & Wine Festival
Dorian Anderson, Executive Director, [email protected], 905-933-5737
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