PORTLAND — The Oregon Wine Symposium will return to Portland for the third straight year and is scheduled for Feb. 25-26 at the Oregon Convention Center.
It is the largest gathering of the Oregon’s wine industry, and event organizers expect to surpass the 2013 record of 1,400 attendees, exhibitors and media.
“This is the third year the event has been held in Portland, and every year our attendance has grown,” said Leigh Bartholomew, chairwoman of the Oregon Wine Board, which sponsors of the event. “The symposium is one of the highlights of our year, providing a gathering place for our industry to come together as a community, learn and celebrate its achievements.”
The Oregon wine grape and wine industry generates more than $2.7 billion of economic activity to the state economy each year, including more than 13,500 wine-related jobs.
The 2013 event was staged Feb. 19-20, and it is viewed as a key educational vehicle for the Oregon wine industry, however it also draws winemakers and executives from Washington, Idaho and British Columbia.
Keynote speakers for the 2014 symposium have not been announced. Last year’s speakers were Mike Kaiser, owner/founder of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort; and Ted Baseler, CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in Woodinville, Wash.
In addition to a full schedule of workshops and general sessions, the conference attracts more than 100 industry-related exhibitors to the trade show. An additional tier of wine business sessions will provide additional resources and education to winery owners and executives.
For the first time, all of the viticulture sessions and general sessions at the symposium will be translated real-time into Spanish. Previously, one day of the viticulture sessions were translated. The expanded translation offering is available because of partnerships with the Erath Family Foundation and Oregon Translation Services.
There also will be an expanded floor plan, which is expected to create opportunities for multiple booth spaces and large equipment. Registration for exhibitors is open.
The Oregon Wine Board has partnered with the DoubleTree by Hilton in Portland to offer discounted room rates for Symposium attendees during the event. Booking is required by Jan. 27 to take advantage of group rate, however there is a limited the number of blocked-out rooms. The DoubleTree also offers symposium guests complimentary internet access and parking during their stay.
The Oregon Wine Board is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries and independent growers throughout the state’s winegrowing regions.
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