By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator
Want to support your Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame during this pandemic? Why not explore the Winnipeg Whisky Festival’s Virtual Stay at Home Experience for 2021.
Every year, we host our annual Whisky Fest at the Fairmont Hotel. We normally have over 60 vendors offering different kinds of whiskies and other spirits with approximately 170 available products, plus an all-evening gourmet buffet that includes a carvery bar, sushi bar, poutinerie bar along with some excellent company.
But, due to the pandemic, we had to do things a bit different this year.
With the help of our presenting sponsor, Manitoba Liquor Marts, we pivoted and transformed the event into an awesome, virtual tasting experience. Plus, we added a new component this year: a silent auction with lots of great prizes.
Here is what you can expect from this year’s event!
The Virtual Winnipeg Whisky Festival
Beginning February 24th, you will be able to participate in virtual tastings when purchasing select whisky packages from Manitoba Liquor Marts.
Each event has a unique experience hosted by a specific vendor and their brand ambassadors. They will tell stories about the product you are drinking and how it came to be. For example, the grandiose tales of yesteryear and how they fought against prohibition in the roaring 20s. These are always fun to listen to!
These virtual tasting experiences run until March 25th. Be sure to act quickly, though, because they are selling like hotcakes on a beautiful Sunday morning! Check our website for more information at www.winnipegwhiskyfestival.com.
And remember, this goes towards supporting a great cause. As Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame board Chair and regular Whisky Festival attendee Don MacDonald says, “The money that the Whisky Festival raises is very important for the success of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. There is a great history of sport, entertainment and hospitality working together for their mutual benefit and this is just another example.”
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame
It has been a challenging year for us, but we have persevered. The Whisky Festival is The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame’s biggest annual fundraiser and goes a long way in allowing us to continue fulfilling our mandate: recognizing and honouring those who have made their mark on Manitoba Sports History.
It also gives us an opportunity to continue running our gallery to showcase and celebrate sports here in our province. We have over 10,000 artefacts in our collection and over 600 pieces on display at any given time. We love to tell stories about our sports heroes and teams, and we hope that you enjoy hearing them, too.
I am sure we can all recall Jon Montgomery’s famous Skeleton race at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, where he claimed the gold medal. And, in the most Canadian way possible, he proceeded to celebrate in the Olympic village with a drink given to him by a fan!
Whether you take your whisky neat, on the rocks, or as a cocktail, they are all excellent choices. However, if you do not drink, there are other ways you can help as well! Telling a friend who is a whisky connoisseur, sharing our content to your network or purchasing an experience for a friend are great ways to get involved and support!
Silent Auction
Our community really stepped up and helped us out with this part! The amount of support has been amazing, and we are thankful for the prizes in our silent auction, which runs from March 15th – 25th.
You will have the opportunity to bid on some incredible prizes, including some rare whiskies, unique sport experiences with the Jets, Blue Bombers and Goldeyes, golf packages at some excellent courses, and obviously, some stunning gear, like a signed Patrik Laine aviator Jets jersey.
Please stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks, and remember, please drink responsibly!
