The South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce will be handing the FOG reigns over to the Oliver Tourism Association. File photo
The Oliver Tourism Association (OTA) and the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce (SOCC) have signed a formal agreement which will see the organizations cooperatively plan and operate the Festival of the Grape (FOG).
Corrie Adolph, president of the chamber, says, “This strategic alliance will free up an incredible amount of time for the chamber to focus on advocacy and the issues that face business in the South Okanagan, and the OTA is perfectly positioned to manage the festival.”
According to the agreement signed yesterday by Adolph and OTA president Tony Munday, the SOCC and OTA will work together over the next three years with the goal of the OTA taking over completely by 2019.
Munday says, “The strategic alliance with the SOCC will ensure a smooth transition. We have a great group of volunteers that have previously organized the festival that will continue on, and some great new ideas to make this year’s 20th anniversary bigger and better than ever.”
The Festival of the Grape (FOG) is a popular wine tasting festival that attracts thousands of people to Oliver each year. The event takes an incredible amount of time to plan, and Adolph said that has meant other aspects of the chamber’s mandate—advocating for local businesses and creating policy to help them thrive—have been “neglected.”
The FOG is a significant source of income for the chamber, and Adolph admitted that handing it off will mean a financial squeeze. She said she is confident she can replace that money with the fees from the increased membership she is convinced the chamber will see once it has “realigned” its objectives with its mandate.
With the FOG off its hands, Adolph said the chamber will have more time to advocate for local businesses, organize speakers and events for its members, and hear directly from its membership.
“That’s what chambers were designed to do, and that’s what we’re going to do,” she said.
