UNESCO names Kelowna as Canada’s first Creative City of Gastronomy

Kelowna has been named as Canada's first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

The city of Kelowna might be accustomed to winning awards for its wines, but a recent nod of appreciation has garnered unprecedented cause for celebration—not just for the city, but Canada too.

Kelowna has been named as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, making it the first city in the country to be given the distinction. It joins the ranks of other North American cities, including Texas’ San Antonio and Mexico’s Mérida, that have also been given the award.

“This recognition confirms what those in the Okanagan Valley have known for decades—Kelowna is a world-class centre for agriculture, culinary arts, and beverages,” Mayor Tom Dyas said in a statement released by the City of Kelowna on Friday.

“These industries boost our vibrant local scene, strengthen our economy, and inspire others across the country. It is yet another reason for visitors to come to Kelowna, experience all our region has to offer, and sample the flavours of the Okanagan Valley for themselves.”

The city’s culinary prowess has become fundamental to its economy, with its food and wine offerings attracting over two million visitors each year and generating $1.17 billion in tourism revenue. According to the city, its 500-plus restaurants contribute $394 million annually, while the local agriculture, spanning over half of the city’s land, adds $3.6 billion to the economy.

With the unique award under its belt, the city hopes to welcome more opportunities for economic growth and tourism. The new feather in its culinary cap will enable more food-focused projects, like culinary festivals, and will aid in cultural preservation via the promotion of traditional Indigenous food and food practices, the city said.

“Situated within the traditional territory of the syilx people, Kelowna is an agriculturally diverse region,” said Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation.

“The traditional foods and medicines within our territory reflect a deep connection and shared responsibility to the land and the water.”

Louie said joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is an opportunity for the city of Kelowna to “uphold this shared responsibility” on a global scale by “prioritizing protection of traditional foods, medicines, lands, and waters for generations to come.”

The application for the UNESCO designation had been a collaborative effort, with the city of Kelowna supported by Westbank First Nation, Tourism Kelowna and Okanagan College, alongside a range of industry professionals spanning growers, producers, chefs and business owners.

UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 and is organized into eight fields: architecture, crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts, and music.

The fifth city in Canada to join the network, Kelowna joins Quebec City, celebrated for its literature, Montreal for its design, Toronto for its media arts and London, for its music.