The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is Edmonton’s largest wine and food event. In its tenth year, the event transforms a part of the Shaw Conference Centre into a Grand Tasting Hall, showcasing both wineries and restaurants from across the province. It runs October 21-22, 2011.

It was one of the first wine tasting events that I ever attended, back in 2007. Although there are similar events that have preceded it, and many that have sprung up in its wake, I appreciated the nature of this one. Unpretentious, it was a great way for someone like me who was just starting to explore the world of wine to try a good variety without feeling like I was being judged for my lack of knowledge. That said, I’m sure more experienced wine drinkers would enjoy the festival as well, sampling and talking to the wine reps in the laid-back atmosphere. The list of the 2011 wineries is here.

And the food – at this year’s festival, over three dozen restaurants will be on hand to sample their fare. Restaurants include Creations (featuring smoked corn and leek fondue in mini brioche cups), Guru (offering butter chicken samosas), Niche (serving venison meatballs topped with duck cracklings), Jacek (serving a variety of truffles, such as salted burnt caramel), and the Red Piano (offering red velvet whoopie pies). You can take a look at the full menu here,

Special to the 2011 edition are complimentary Cheese Seminars to be hosted by the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Seminars will offer information, wine pairing suggestions and free Canadian cheese samples.

If you’re interested in attending the festival, make sure to pick up tickets online, which are $5 less than the fee at the door. Sampling coupons (for both liquor and food items) are available on-site at a price of 50 cents each.

I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to give away two tickets that can be used to gain admission to the festival on Friday, October 21, a value of $46. A note about the tickets: they are not transferable to Saturday’s session, and sampling coupons will need to be purchased separately. Also, all attendees must be 18 years or older (minors, including infants, are not permitted).

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment below with why you’d like to attend the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival. The contest closes at 5 p.m. on October 18, 2011. I will contact the winner by e-mail that evening and post the name of the winner here. Good luck!

EDIT: Congratulations, Kim O!