College to host Eat.Drink.Tweet., a social media bootcamp

Okanagan College Media Release

Eat.Drink.Tweet. Sounds simple, unless you don't know what a "tweet" is.

Teaming up with All She Wrote, a boutique communications agency specializing in social media marketing for the wine, culinary, and agricultural tourism sectors, the Penticton Campus of Okanagan College will host the inaugural Eat.Drink.Tweet. event this March.

"We're bringing together wineries, restaurants, accommodators and other tourism stakeholders to learn about social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter, and at the same time practice their newfound skills at several gourmet food and wine events," said Allison Markin of All She Wrote.

"Eat.Drink.Tweet. combines education, food and wine, an ideal professional development event as the Okanagan becomes a culinary destination," explained Donna Lomas, Okanagan College Regional Dean of the South Okanagan-Similkameen.

Eat.Drink.Tweet. begins Friday, March 11 with an evening keynote presentation from Rick Bakas, the world's first winery social media director. Bakas has recently released the book Social Bites, and has championed worldwide wine tastings via the micro-blogging social network, Twitter.

"We're excited to support Rick's first visit to the Okanagan," said Jessie Campbell, Tourism Marketing Manager at Penticton & Wine Country Tourism. "Rick will bring his thousands of Twitter followers and Facebook friends on a virtual tour, exposing Penticton to wine and food lovers around the world."

Following Bakas' presentation, the Naramata Bench Wineries Association will host its first live Twitter wine tasting. Designated "Tweeters" will post their thoughts on the wines, encouraging a large-scale wine discussion online. Okanagan Chef Roger Planiden will provide a fantastic tasting menu to pair with the wines, as well as a gourmet lunch on Saturday, March 12, a day of seminars for the participants.

"Naramata Bench Wineries have always had an appetite to present their wines in fun and accessible ways to everyone who appreciates fine wine. We are looking forward to a real time online tasting that our fans everywhere can take part in, plus introduce new people across North America to the Naramata Bench Experience," said Tina Baird, Marketing Director for the Naramata Bench Wineries Association.

The conference will wrap up on Sunday morning with a networking breakfast, a final seminar and an IRL panel -- In Real Life – a group of local wineries and businesses sharing their success stories in the use of social media.

For more information and to register, visit www.allshewrote.ca/eatdrinktweet, or call Okanagan College at 1-866-510-8899.