For the first time in seven years, Naramata is bringing back the historic Tailgate Party.

On Sunday, September 13th, at Manitou Beach Park, wine lovers are invited to celebrate the harvest with more than twenty Naramata Bench wineries. This time honoured classic is set to return after a seven-year hiatus, something many in the community are incredibly proud to see once again. The history of this event predates more polished wine festivals—in the best way possible—and this year, that same energy and vibe is coming back to the shores of Okanagan Lake.

To get the inside scoop on this event, we sat down with Van Westen Vineyards, Deep Roots Winery, and Discover Naramata to learn about what makes the tailgate so special, what to expect this weekend, and why this matters for Naramata Village.

So what exactly is this Tailgate Party?

It’s exactly what its name calls forth: wineries drive in, park side by side, and open their tailgates to pour wine directly from the back of their vehicles. It is casual, relaxed, and quintessentially Naramata.

“We all show up with our pickups,” explains Rob Van Westen of Van Westen Vineyards. “I’m coming with my ‘97 Dodge flatdeck. It’s kind of like a tailgate party like at football games. We set up our barrels, decorate our trucks a little bit, and pour wine for the masses who want to join us.”

Think of it as an informal way to mingle, meet the owners, winemakers, vineyard crews, and winery team who bring the grapes to your bottle vintage after vintage..
It’s also a moment for neighbours, growers, winemakers, and visitors to celebrate another incredible harvest season together.

“It was always the flagship event of the Naramata Bench Wineries Association,” explains Dawn Lennie, marketing manager for Discover Naramata. “So we’re really happy to have it back. It’s great for the community. It brings many Naramata Bench wine fans from the Lower Mainland, Kelowna and beyond here for the weekend. It’s a great September boost for so many of our businesses.”

The main difference for this year is a lineup of live music and the addition of food trucks, and local artisans.

“I think the re-invention of it,” adds Lennie, “ inviting local artisans and food trucks and all of the wineries pulling in their trucks, makes for a true tailgate party experience. It’s very Naramata.”

The official start of the Tailgate goes back to the early 2000s with different wineries hosting throughout the years. This was a different time in Naramata, with fewer wineries across the Bench, but as the years passed and more wineries opened their doors, the tailgate evolved into a community event. The very last one took place in 2017 at the Naramata Inn, with the wineries and festivities wrapping around the building and sprawling onto the front lawns.

Its return seven years later has brought nothing but pride for the village.

“I went as a patron before I started our winery,” explains Will Hardman of Deep Roots Winery, “and I wouldn’t end up missing it. Now, I am on the other side of the table to pour wine.”

Having grown up in Naramata along with his wife, Heather, Hardman has watched many wineries evolve over his life. Seeing them come together to celebrate one another is a huge experience for him. “When I think Tailgate Party, I think of Naramata,” he says. “The community that we have here, not only within the winery industry and grape growing industry.”

And he isn’t the only one.

“I’m ecstatic that it’s returned because we want to show what our community is about. We’ve missed doing this event for so long,” admits Rob Van Westen.“The wine industry has come a long way since the late 90s. Now we have such a community of wine makers that we share information and we all want to promote the Naramata Bench, and the only way we can do that is to collectively make better wines together.”

The Tailgate is also an opportunity for individuals within the industry to chat amongst their peers and try out new products from down the road. For many of them, this time of year coincides with harvest, meaning long days and little leisure time; this event offers a chance to have one last hurrah before the hard work begins.

For Van Westen, it means pouring his recent award-winning Merlot-Cab blend, a wine that honours the last two decades in this industry. Back in 2003 he made his first vintage out of Merlot and Cabernet grapes in the vineyard he planted from his grandfather’s apple orchard, and this year, he released the 20th vintage. It just received a gold medal at the National Wine Awards and 93-points. Visitors who attend this weekend can try out this wine and also receive a discount code for 10% off Van Westen Vineyards wines the next day, either in-person at the wine shop or online.

For Will Hardman, the event is less like work and more like a celebration. “You don’t feel like you’re working when you’re pouring wine at the tailgate,” he jokes. Because having everyone gathered in one place is a big thing.

“Naramata’s so special, it has a lot going for it,” says Hardman. “It’s such a neat, community-based small town, end of the road. So to have the wine industry have their event back… is really big for Naramata.”

This year, tickets include a commemorative wine tasting cup, six tasting tokens (with opportunity to purchase more), as well as a $10 food voucher redeemable at any of the onsite food trucks. Think of this event as an invitation to wander amongst different tailgates, chat with locals in the industry, and raise a glass to another extraordinary harvest in a tight-knit, welcoming community. 

Cheers to Naramata—our favourite village in the valley.

Xx,

Your Okanagan Curators