Okanagan February Celebrations

Winter Festivals, Food & Wine, Arts & Culture

Winter is almost over ;-) and it's a great time to be in the Okanagan when February celebrations focus on fun winter activities and family fun, food and wine, art and cultural events.

BC Heritage Week also takes place and communities throughout the Okanagan offer some special events to celebrate the history of our province.

Heritage Week BC is an annual event that celebrates British Columbia history and cluture. It starts on national Heritage Day, which is the third Monday in February and runs for one week.

One of the best of all the festivals carnivals and events that happen in the Okanagan Valley is the February celebrations at the Vernon Winter Carnival in the city of Vernon BC.

The winter carnival has been held every year 1961 and is the longest running festival in the Okanagan.

People of every age, ability and interest get out to enjoy a huge variety of fun winter activities and events that go on for ten days at various venues.

okanagan february celebrations vernon winter carnival

There's ice building competitions, a hot air balloon fiesta, a wine gala event, dinner theatre, an Irish pub night, appetizers and art events, hockey games, a parade in the city and much much more.

Or you can also take in various carnival festivities at Silver Star Mountain Resort. With a different 'carnival theme' every year, it's always new and exciting.

Other fun events that take place tend to have an emphasis on great food and wine.

Okanagan Wine and Dine

The wine and dine event is a fun two week event that local restaurants participate in to offer dining deals and wine pairing suggestions highlighting Okanagan wine.

If you're here visiting this is a great opportunity to take advantage of discounts and do some wine tasting - a sort of fun substitute for an Okanagan wine tour ;-)

Prices for dinners range from $15 to $35 (without wine, tax and gratuity) at a variety of restaurants throughout the valley.

The wine and dine event started in late January and runs for two weeks into the beginning of February.

Art & Cultural Events

The arts and culture are well represented all through the Okanagan BC. Exciting February celebrations of Indigenous people and other local arts take place that you can take in while you explore the Kelowna area.

Reel Roots Indigenous Media Art Exhibition takes place at the Kelowna Art Gallery. Reel Roots is a collaborative effort between the Kelowna Art Gallery and the En'owkin Centre in Penticton to present this annual display of new works by emerging First Nations artists.

It showcases Indigenous diversity and cultural storytelling through media imagery.

The festival feature works from the En'owkin Centre's National Aboriginal Professional Artist Training Program (NAPAT), ULLUS Collective, and the Indigenous Independent Digital Filmaking program (IIDF).

Also in February is the Kelowna CONDUIT Ecotone Festival is a live showcase of over 100 emerging and established artists, celebrating installation art, sculpture, graffiti art, eco-activism, crafts, musical performances, poetry reading, fire spinning, and story telling. This event takes place at the Rotary Center for the Arts in the city of Kelowna.

And finally, the Central Okanagan Spirit Festival is brand new to the Okanagan in 2011. This event's focus is the exploration of all levels of art, and cultural knowledge and experiences. It runs through the entire month of February. Arts groups from the Central Okanagan region perform and showcase their works at various venues in Lake Country, Kelowna, and Peachland, BC. Many events are FREE. [Read more...]