Victoria Tea Festival
We aren’t tea connoisseurs by any means but we do enjoy a good cuppa once in a while and if you want to learn anything about tea, what better place than the Victoria Tea Festival in Canada’s tea capital, Victoria, British Columbia.
Crystal Garden
North America’s largest public tea exhibition
The Victoria Tea Festival, North America’s largest public tea exhibition started in 2007 with a one-day event that attracted 200 attendees and has grown exponentially to a two-day event, with over 40 exhibitors and 3300 attendees in 2011.
It is organized by a volunteer committee and hundreds of event day volunteers. The proceeds from the two-day event go entirely to the cause, the Camosun College Child Care Services and help with student bursaries, resources and special projects. The Camosun College Child Care Services has two facilities that care for newborn to 5-year-olds, which gives parents the opportunity to pursue their studies while raising a family. It is now in its 21st year of operation and has second-generation attendees in its care. That’s pretty amazing!
Victoria Tea Festival
Silk Road Tea
Our first stop was Silk Road Tea, they have been a sponsor of the festival since the beginning. We had their recently introduced (at the festival just hours before we arrived) Vietnamese tea blend Monsoon, a limited edition green tea with notes of ginger, citrus and lemongrass, it was warm and comforting and I could tell just by tasting it that it would be a good remedy for an upset stomach. The other tea we had from Silk Road was the Summer Shangri-La, served cold with grape juice it was fruity, refreshing and would be a great summer drink mixed with Prosecco.
Teacup at silk road tea booth
Serious Coffee
Our next stop was Serious Coffee, a Vancouver Island favourite and another festival sponsor since the start. We tasted their Seriously Spiced Chai, a chai on steroids, it was very spicy and delicious, one of our preferred teas from the festival. We also tasted the Summer Solstice, hot and cold versions, the hot was less sweet and a little more tart. The cold option was sweet, fruity and could easily be mixed with a white wine and/or soda water for a refreshing hot weather drink.
Cute tea tins at the Victoria Tea Festival
Murchie’s
We stopped in at Murchie’s (the third sponsor, has been involved with the festival since 2009) and tried some Lemon Drop, people’s choice winner 2011, it was bright with citrus flavours, a real thirst quencher. But I couldn’t leave the booth without trying the Coconut Cream Banana, so rich with coconut and banana flavours, it could replace dessert after a meal.
Spinnakers
Spinnakers booth was a welcome break from all the tea-guzzling. You may wonder what Canada’s oldest brewpub was doing at a tea festival. Well, they were there with their tea infused ale (infused with Spicy Mandarin tea from Silk Road). We were pleasantly surprised, the tea did not take away from the tasty ale but gave it a subtle mandarin aftertaste.
Spinnakers booth showcasing tea infused beer
Gathering Place
Another booth of note was Gathering Place, filled with teas, herbs, spices and salts it attracted us right away. The lovely Lovena explained how she, her husband and three kids blend and package all the spices at their home on Cortes Island. They have visited the farms in South Africa and India that produce the teas, curry powders and salts that they sell. Part of the profits fund grassroots project in the countries that produce the goods.
Gathering Place booth and their goods
Umpteenth cups
After umpteenth cups of tea and a bag filled with steepable goods we decided it was time to go. If you missed the Victoria Tea Festival this year, don’t worry, it’ll be back and probably be even bigger in 2013.
What’s your favourite tea flavour?
*Disclosure: Although we did get free entry to this event the opinions expressed are honest and our own.
Thanks for coming out to the Tea Festival Nat and Tim! It was nice to meet you both.
Lovena
http://www.gatheringplacetrading.com
Thanks Lovena, it was great to meet you as well. We’d love to come out to Cortes and check out your operation some day.