By Times Chronicle Staff
The Half Corked Marathon returns this weekend for its 16th iteration bringing an estimated 1,500 runners, friends and family to Oliver and Osoyoos.
The annual event, so popular that it has for a number of years involved a balloting process to simply be able to buy a coveted ticket for the event, will see participants weaving along a 24km route.
The race route runs through the vineyards and byways of the South Okanagan’s iconic wine-growing areas including the Black Sage Road and Golden Mile Bench, along with sections beside the Okanagan River, ultimately ending up at the Oliver Community Park.
Winery tasting stations dot the route providing runners with tastings of the area’s best wines. The ever-popular Finish Line Party (open to everyone), provides an opportunity for everyone (not just runners) to sample the wines of the the region and celebrate with the exhausted runners as they make their way across the finish line.
As always, creative costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded for the best individual costume, best team and best skit. Well worth an afternoon enjoying the wine and wackiness of the costumes.
The theme for the 2024 Half Corked Marathon is “Now That’s What I Call the 90’s” and with the weekend event kicking off with the Primavera Party, a casual, long table dinner with live music on the evening of Friday May 24 at Church & State Winery. The Half Corked also features a Dinner on the Farm event on Saturday evening at Road 13 Vineyards.
Limited to just 50 guests, small groups will be hosted by a winemaker or winery owner who will pair their own wines with the guests seated at their table. Guests will be able to learn about the talent and science behind their wine-making approach and dine on a multi-course menu featuring farm-fresh produce from this region, prepared by a guest chef.
And the fun doesn’t stop on Saturday as Nostalgia Wines will host a Food Truck Brunch Showdown on Sunday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Food will be available for purchase directly from the food vendors and a $20 ticket will include live music, a mimosa (or juice), a $5 donation to charity, voting ballot, and ticket for a door prize.
