This month has seen a diverse group of new business members for the Summerland Chamber of Commerce.
The Back Door Winery opened this month at a great location off Highway 97 at Jones Flat Road to showcase their cheeky wines.
Downtown on Main Street Kraut Haven serves their schnitzel, cabbage rolls, bratwurst and more seven days a week.
If you need welding or railing installation work done Noah’s Ark Metal Work will come to you to get the job done.
Also, on the upgrade or maintenance front, VOSH Mechanical will help you with all your HVAC needs.
Improved
visibility
Change is in the air in Summerland with members updating their virtual and actual profiles.
Grasslands Nursery, taken over from Toni Boot by Lauren Forsyth and Mike Hughes earlier this year, has a new website.
The website was redesigned to better showcase the demonstration gardens at the nursery that show self-sustaining water landscapes.
Evolve Cellars has also launched a new website to highlight their beautiful location and delicious wines.
On a more physical level the Summerland Motel has an impactful new sign.
The finishing touches are being put on the large sign which has subtle neon built in to make the board more visible at night.
On a branding level two companies have changed names in recent months to better reflect their services.
Pro Angle Contractors Ltd. is now known as Big Lift Crane Service offering rentals of their 92-foot boom truck crane.
And in the James Lake industrial area Century Aluminum Products has changed their name to DekSmart Railings.
Winery news
Last month the 2015 Wine Align National Wine Awards of Canada were held, where the country’s leading wine writers and judges gathered to evaluate wines grown in Canada in two dozen categories.
The Align Awards named Haywire Winery at Okanagan Crush Pad No. 11 in the Top 25 wineries in Canada and No. 8 in B.C. as well as awarding the brand three gold, two silver and one bronze medals.
The 2014 Kerner from SummerGate Winery also won at the awards taking home a silver medal and Evolve Cellars was also the recipient with a bronze medal for their 2014 Pinot Blanc.
Elsewhere, Dirty Laundry’s Pinot Noir 2013 was the recipient of the highest honour at the 2015 All Canadian Wine Championships, winning a double gold Best in Class for the Pinot Noir category Under $25.
Okanagan Crush Pad had more good news this week with their Switchback Vineyard getting organic certification.
This sustainable way of growing is a key factor in other Summerland vineyards, including Sage Hills, Saxon Estates and SummerGate wineries.
Harvest Days
From Sept. 13 to Oct. 12 downtown will feature an autumn ambiance for Rotary Harvest Days in Summerland.
The idea of a thematically decorated downtown was developed by Linda Beaven and Maryan Dennison from an idea gathered on their travels.
As the organizing committee they will provide key pieces to participants to include as the basis for their display, including pumpkins, picket fences, and hay bales.
Currently over 25 businesses are participating in this visual feast by decorating Main Street and Victoria Road.
If you would like to join in Maryan and Linda would be happy for you to contact them at 250-494-9734 or 250-494-1248 respectively.
Vicky Jones is the communications and membership coordinator with the Summerland Chamber of Commerce.