Industry leaders and partners across the wine and viticulture community are coming together with a shared purpose: to reimagine the future of WineVit, the annual Washington wine industry convention presented by the Washington Winegrowers Association. In a collaborative planning effort, stakeholders are aligning key priorities to ensure the event remains relevant, valuable, and accessible to a broad and evolving audience. 

Central to these discussions are four guiding principles: accessibility, affordability, networking, and education. Winegrowers is committed to lowering barriers to participation—both in terms of cost and format—while creating more meaningful opportunities for connection and knowledge-sharing.  

One of the most notable shifts under consideration is a move toward two focused, one-day events rather than a single large gathering. Current plans point to hosting these in January 2027 in Eastern Washington and June 2027 in Western Washington, allowing for greater regional engagement and seasonal relevance. 

In addition, the traditional trade show model is being reconsidered. In its place, Winegrowers is exploring a more relaxed and interactive networking event designed to foster authentic connections between service and supply provider and growers and winemakers in a less formal setting.

Thank you to the following stakeholders for responding to invitations and joining us in recent meetings to help inform format! 

Brian Mackey – Dineen Vineyards
Dan Fulton – Angiolina Farm 
Dan Gomez – Encore Glass 
Elizabeth Medina - Worker and Farmer Labor Association (WAFLA)
Gwen Hoheisel – Washington State University 
Heather Bradshaw – Washington State Wine Commission 
Julie Tarara – Washington State Wine Commission 
Mellissa Whitaker – Kiona Vineyards 
Shane Curtis – GAI America 
Tina Simmons – Eurostampa
Trent Ball – Yakima Valley Community College 

The next phase of work will focus on refining and solidifying this new event format while continuing to gather input from stakeholders. Winegrowers will also be convening the education committee to develop content for the agenda, with an emphasis on delivering high-quality, practical, and relevant sessions. 

These plans are still evolving, and input from across the industry remains a vital part of the process. Winegrowers welcome ideas, feedback, and suggestions from all corners of the community and encourage anyone interested to reach out and be a part of shaping WineVit 2027.  In particular, Winegrowers is always interested in welcoming industry representatives to serve on the education committee which meets over a series of largely virtual meetings between one year and six months prior to WineVit.  Contact sara@wawinegrowers.org to lend your insights.