Tea lovers unite at the Victoria Tea Festival, home of all things tea!

Set aside your java for a weekend, folks. Victoria is famous for its tea, which is why North America’s largest tea exhibition takes place here every year in February. The Victoria International Tea Festival gathers teas, tisanes, tea blends and tea specialists from all over the world for this ticketed weekend event. It’s the perfect way to stock up on old favourites, sample new flavours, discover tea history, and stimulate your senses. With over 20 exhibitors from different teahouses, tea stores, and herbalists across Victoria, you can be sure you’ll find tea to suit your needs, and you’ll probably learn something new along the way. Plus, all proceeds from the festival go towards the Camosun College Child Care Services.

You’re more of a coffee drinker, you say? Perfect—the Victoria International Tea Festival is a great place to discover something new and give tea a try!  After all, people have been drinking tea for over 5000 years, so it must be good for something! In fact, tea is good for many reasons: do you need something to settle your stomach, boost your metabolism, give you a caffeine rush, strengthen your immune system, help you sleep, or replace your calorie-rich dessert with rich, satisfying flavour? There’s a tea for that! Does your palette crave spicy, fruity, floral, astringent, oceanic, grassy, creamy, bitter, earthy, or sweet aromas and flavours? Tea can satisfy that, too!

Wander through the Crystal Gardens during the Victoria International Tea Festival and chat with exhibitors to find exactly what you’re looking for. Attend a presentation to learn how to cook with tea. Visit a food exhibitor to experience how certain teas—like certain wines—pair well with different foods. And while you’re there, why not pick up the latest tea merchandise so you can make the perfect cup at home?

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. To find out where to buy your tickets in advance, click here.

On that note, I’m off to put the kettle on!

Posted November 14, 2011 by Kara Johancsik