Tea aficionados from across the Pacific Northwest will meet inlate September for the 12th annual Northwest Tea Festival, a two-dayevent in Seattle, Wash.
The festival, scheduled for Sept. 28-29, brings tea experts from aroundthe world to lead a variety of presentations, workshops and tea tastings. Theevent takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundayat the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 305 Harrison Street near the famousSpace Needle.
“The goal is to provide experiences covering all aspects of tea,from the cultural to the historical and the sensory to the scientific,”organizers Julee and Doug Rosanoff said in a statement.
The Northwest Tea Festival is “a uniquegathering of tea lovers, fanatics, providers and consumers,” according to theorganization. The event is planned and staffed by volunteers, all of whomare tea lovers coming from diverse backgrounds. “Over two days, tea isdiscussed, dissected, tasted, debated, amplified and reduced to its basicelement,” writes Julee Rosanoff.
Festival attendees have numerous opportunities tosample dozens of teas provided by vendors and at focused tastings. They will beable to participate in workshops and presentations on tea and expand theirknowledge, experience and enjoyment.
The festival also features vendors from across the United Statesas well as from tea producing countries such as Japan, Taiwan, India, andChina.
The festival will be attended by growers, international importersand tea specialists as they teach, offer tastings and present culturalexperiences involving tea. In all, planners have arranged 10 stagepresentations, 30 workshops and 50 tea tastings over the course of the weekend.More than 3,000 attendees can learn about tea and talk with both experts andvendors.
A two-day pass to the Northwest Tea Festival is $15. A two-person,two-day ticket costs $25. Children under 12 are admitted free. Admissionincludes a porcelain tasting teacup – suitable for tea tastings throughout theweekend – while supplies last as well asentry to lectures, tasting events, and access to the many vendors.
Most stage presentations and workshop sessions are free. The festivalTea Bar, located at the east side of the exhibition hall, is free as well. Itwill be open throughout each afternoon and will be serving dozens of teas in avariety of quick and entertaining themes. “Similar teas will be compared. Unusual teas will be explored. Rare teas will be savored,” organizers said.
Some selected workshops, however, may require additional fees andseating is limited. Pre-registration for some workshops will be availableonline.
Presenters include James Norwood Pratt,Katharine Burnett,David Campbell,Bruce Richardson,Jessica Davidson,Laurie andCharlesDawson, Jeni Dodd, FridayElliott, Noli Ergas, Wardand BarbaraEverson, Roberta Fuhr, KevinGascoyne, Char Gascho,Victoria Gnatoka,ChristopherGronbeck, Suzette Hammond, LindaLouie, Nigel Melican,JosephinePan, Elyse Petersen, BernadettePetrolta, Raj Vable, Cinnabar Wright.
The complete festival program is still being developed and will beposted on the festival website, www.nwteafestival.com. Onlineregistration opens Sept. 1. The website also offers links to area hotelsoffering discounted rates for festival attendees.
Source: Northwest Tea Festival