EAT! Vancouver has always been one of my favourite food festivals of the year. And this year will be better than ever! The festival will be taking place at venues throughout the city April 26 to May 3, 2015 and comes to a head at the three-day EAT! Vancouver at BC Place showcase. The festival will expand to include new features such as:

• Intimate EAT! VIP Experiences, where a small number of participants will have the chance to interact with celebrity chef favourites Susur Lee, Mark McEwan and Anna Olson.
• The Talk & Taste Stage presented by Zwilling, where top chefs and culinary experts — Angus An, Ned Bell, Trevor Bird, Andrea Carlson, Jonathan Chovancek, Ryan O’Flynn, Lucais Syme, Joël Watanabe, Chris Whittaker and Wesley Young — will host demonstrations and tastings.
• The Canadian Food Artisan Pavilion sponsored by Edible Canada, which spotlights local culinary artisans and their products
  
• Speed Rack, an international cocktail competition in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Society (BC/Yukon Region), featuring top female bartenders from coast to coast and brought to Canada for the first time by award-winning bartenders Lauren Mote and Dani Tatarin, along with Speed Rack’s Ivy Mix and Lynnette Marrero.
  
• Healthy Living and Gluten-Free sponsored by Pomme Natural Market, featuring helpful tips for those with food sensitivities or following precise dietary paths including vegan, vegetarian and paleo.
  
• The Craft Beer Alley sponsored by the BC Craft Brewers Guild, featuring the best local craft beers, recognized globally for excellence.
  
• An On-site Legacy Liquor Store, where visitors can purchase their favourite beer, wine and spirits to enjoy at home.

SHOW DATES & TIMES

Friday, May 1 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, May 2 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, May 3 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
BC Place Stadium, 777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver, BC V6B 4Y8

ADMISSION

Adult $17
Adult ONLINE $15
Senior (65+) $12
Senior (65+) Friday, May 1 before 5 p.m. $6
Youth (ages 13 to 16) $9
Children (ages 12 and under) FREE
General admission tickets for EAT! Vancouver at BC Place taking place May 1 to 3 are available online at www.eat-vancouver.com as well as on-site at Gate A.

Tickets for featured EAT! Vancouver at BC Place programming including VIP Chef Experiences, PICA Culinary Classes, Speed Rack and Talk & Taste Stage are available online at www.eat-vancouver.com and range from $7 to $95.

All EAT! Vancouver Dinners and Hands-on Workshops, as well as the Canadian Flavours Gala, Hospitality Symposium, Pastry Tasting & Panel Discussion and Speed Rack taking place April 26 to May 3 include a complimentary ticket to EAT! Vancouver at BC Place.

Follow the festival on Twitter: @EAT_Vancouver