Where to Eat, Drink & Be Merry at Whistler Cornucopia 2018
Cornucopia in Whistler is an annual food and drink festival based in our beautiful mountain town. It lasts 11 days, and this year’s Cornucopia Whistler runs from November 8-18th. With over 90 food and drink events taking place over this festive period, figuring out what’s a hit and what’s a miss from the Cornucopia schedule is a grand task. We’ve gathered together some information about our top events to help you make your decision this coming week.
Cornucopia Tickets and Packages- The Raw Deal
First things first, the tickets.
You can purchase tickets online via the whistlercornucopia.com website. When you show up, make them available for scanning on your mobile or print out the confirmation email and bring it with you. If you’re headed to a Winery Dinner, your name will already be on the guest list.
Unlike many of the other big events hitting Whistler throughout the year, Cornucopia is a pick and mix event. There is no one-week long ticket covering all major events. Instead, you craft your own perfect and gourmet vacation. Some of the top events to explore (with individual tickets) are:
- Signature tastings
- Drink seminars
- Nourish: health + wellness
- Restaurant + bar
- Brunches
- Culinary Stage Series
- Chef’s Table Luncheons
- Parties
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Whistler as well, it may work out really well to grab yourself one of the cornucopia package deals:
- Crush Tickets + Accommodation Package: this starts at $92 per person, per night. Crush is the flagship tasting event of Cornucopia where you can sample a glorious array of wines. Cheers to that!
- Cellar Door Tickets + Accommodation Package: starting at $92 per person, per night, this package deal will involve a guided tour of the tasting room by Sommeliers, giving you the change to try fine wine and indulge in gourmet treats. Champagne will also be there to sample.
- Poured Tickets + Accommodation Package: starting at $70 per person, per night, Poured is the most all-encompassing drink event. You’ll get to try BC beer, cider, and international wines.
The Event Everyone is Talking About– The Blue Room
For the select few who can make it, the Blue Room is the place to be this Cornucopia
If you’ve got $20,000 spare and someone to impress, why not spend it all on one big night out?
Are we being ridiculous? Not for the Blue Room! This event from Cornucopia Whistler actually sounds like it could become one of the most memorable evenings out of your entire life.
A ticket to The Blue Room starts with a private Mercedes transfer to a private helicopter. This helicopter flies you over the mountains of Whistler before dropping you off near a “hidden cave of cathedral-like blue ice.”
You’ll then be guided through some natural ice sculptures, ice flows, and chambers before Four Season Whistler’s Executive Sous Chef, David Baarschers, provides you with deliciously prepared and extravagant experience from start to finish. Expect caviar, locally-sourced oysters, Krug Champagne, and more.
The $20,000 ticket is for two people. Start saving for next year!
Top 5 Cornucopia Events (for Everyone Else)
If you’re like us and will not be getting flown up to The Blue Room, there are still a tonne of delicious events spread across the week of Cornucopia to take part in. We’ve picked our favourites from the Cornucopia schedule:
Crush Grand Tasting
The go-to event for wine aficionados at Cornucopia 2018
This is the flagship event of the food and drink festival. Wineries from BC and abroad provide wines for you to sample. It’s a vibrant event, with a truly festive and inclusive feel. If you attend anything this year, we recommend Crush. You can wear whatever you feel comfortable in, however, people often like to dress to the nine for this (think: cocktail dresses and tuxedos!).
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Saturday 10th November, 8.30pm-11pm
- Cost: $91-126 Tickets here
Drink Seminar: You Love Gin! You Just Don’t Know it Yet
First off, we love this name. I mean, we know we love gin, but we also love humour. This seminar will introduce gin-virgins and gin-aficionadas to a variety of high-quality gins, whether delicious on their own or as part of cocktails. Expect to try flavoured gins, from elderflower, to salted caramel, and to tropical samples like pineapple.
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Sunday 11th November, 2.30pm-4.00pm
- Cost: $42 Tickets here
Cellar Door Grand Tasting
Another event, another fine vintage
Cellar Door is another stand-out event at Cornucopia. Not only will participants get the opportunity to try a number of top-notch, hard to find wines, fine wines, but they will also be introduced to top shelve champagnes. Actually, these champagnes are probably not even on the shelf, you’ll most likely find them behind lock and key unless you attend the event. Gourmet snacks will also be served.
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Friday 9th November, 8.00pm-11.00pm
- Cost: $120-155 Tickets here
Drink Seminar: A Journey of the Senses
Interested in the link between senses, the environment, and taste? This seminar sounds fascinating, and its already on our list. Regional manager of Riedel (a wine glass company you may have heard of) will guide participants through a unique wine experience.
She’ll be exploring the questions of whether the shape of a glass influences our perception of taste, and does it impact how much we enjoy the wine? Tickets include a set of four Riedel crystal glasses worth $170, as well as the wine.
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Sunday 11th November, 4.00pm-5.30pm
- Cost: $100 Tickets here
Comedy Kitchen
The first night of the festival starts with some fantastic comedy. For the fourth year in a row, this event brings in three comedians to entertain the crowd. Based on previous years it tends to sell out, so grab your tickets fast!
- Where: Buffalo Bills
- When: Thursday 8th November, 8.00pm-11.00pm
- Cost: $22 Tickets here
Educational Gourmet Cornucopia Workshops
Despite the name, Cornucopia Whistler isn’t just about having plenty of food and drink. With the right, mindset and focus can leave with a greater appreciation of food and wellbeing. We’ve picked some of our favourites for this year.
Nourish: Wolfgang Sterr- Plant-Based Deliciousness
Explore how a plant based diet can work for you
We’re really excited about this workshop. It’s a highly topical subject matter what with Meatless Mondays becoming more ubiquitous and more vegetarian restaurants popping up on the West Coast and beyond. In this workshop, participants will learn how plant-based dishes have benefits for both your health and wellbeing as well as for the environment.
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Saturday 10th November, 10.00am-11.30am
- Cost: $32 Tickets here
Nourish: Caveman Grocers- Chef Kara McMaster
Chef Kara McMaster is a co-founder of Caveman Grocer – a paleo meal delivery service. In this workshop, participants will be re-introduced to the basics of cooking, but from a paleo perspective. We love Caveman Grocery from their Function Junction Days!
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Sunday 11th November, 10.00am-11.30am
- Cost: $32 Tickets here
Nourish: From Plant to Plate
Another plant-based workshop! This one features Dawn Levelton, a nutrition coach and owner of Back to Roots Kitchen. Participants will be shown how to make three plant-based dishes that are easy to make and great for your health. You’ll take part in the demonstration and will get to taste the dishes.
- Where: Whistler Conference Centre
- When: Monday November 12, 12.00pm-1.30pm
- Cost: $32 Tickets here
Forged’s Favourite, and Affordable Eats
Fancy food and drink is fun! But so are affordable eats, and here at Forged we definitely understand what the masses want (and can find the money for). Here’s a list of some of our go-to affordable eateries in Whistler (and more Whistler foodie suggestions here).
Perfect Taco’s in Whistler? It is a dream come true
La Cantina: Mexican street cuisine is delicious, and especially when it’s affordable. Tacos start at $2.50, which means you can pop in and try a variety of different types of tacos all for an affordable price. They serve beer as well as more substantial meals such as burritos (our go-to lunchtime menu item).
Purebread: For under $10 you can grab yourself a delicious savoury or sweet baked good as well as a coffee. Purebread has two locations in Whistler, on in the Village and one in Function Junction (near us!). They’ve proved so popular that they’ve opened two locations in Vancouver.
El Furniture Warehouse: Located in Whistler Village, this is a popular choice for super cheap eats. They’re famous because they have an all-day food menu where everything costs $5.95, including tacos, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and other types of meals. They also serve beer and cocktails.
Ingrid’s: If you fancy a hearty sandwich, Ingrid’s is a fantastic little deli café located in the Village. It’s a locals’ favorite and has a great selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options. It’s a particularly great spot for an affordable brunch.
Cornucopia is a fantastic reason to visit Whistler this November. You’ll get to taste luxury drinks and sample food from BC and beyond while learning skills and insights from professionals in the field. Whether you’re going to book a dinner in an ice-cave, or simply sample some fine wines before heading to a more affordable eat in the Village, Cornucopia festival is a fun and vibrant time to visit Whistler.