revel & feast 2025: our co-founders reflect on the first year of the festival.

March 1st, 2026

One year ago, Revel & Feast began as an idea rooted in a simple belief: that food has the power to bring people together in ways that feel meaningful, memorable, and deeply human.

What unfolded over the course of this first year surpassed anything we could have imagined, said co-founders Mia Knobler & Amanda Cockburn.

Our partners - the chefs, venue hosts, producers, farmers, bakers, beverage makers, and hospitality teams brought an extraordinary level of care and professionalism to every table, every plate, and every gathering. Not in a way that felt performative or exclusive, but in a way that felt generous. Thoughtful. Grounded. The kind of hospitality that leaves people feeling nourished beyond the meal itself. Experiences to write home about.

Both Mia & Amanda were inspired by how the local culinary talent converged with a shared desire to create something special together. Behind every dinner, workshop, tasting, and gathering was an incredible amount of passion, collaboration, and creativity. But what stood out most was the spirit in which it was done.

There was a palpable sense that people cared, shown through every plate and every interaction. Chefs took time to tell stories about ingredients and techniques. Guests lingered at the table long after courses had ended. Diners jumped in to help do dishes. Conversations unfolded between strangers who quickly became friends. It felt less like events and more like intimate gatherings centered around the the shared energy of loving good food.

And perhaps that intimacy is what made the festival feel unique.

In a world where many food festivals have become large-scale spectacles, Revel & Feast found its magic in creating experiences that still felt personal. Mountain town hospitality naturally invites a slower pace. There’s room here for connection. Room for storytelling. Room to notice the details.

Guests foraged for mushrooms in the mountains of Revelstoke, learnt how to clean & process them and shared a chef-prepared meal together with local culinary talent Aidan Cain.

Looking ahead to 2026

We’re leaning into the mountain landscape. The culture of gathering. The independent food scene. The local farms and producers. The creativity of chefs working in a smaller community with deep respect for seasonality and place. There is something incredibly powerful about experiencing refined, world-class food in an environment that still feels approachable and connected to nature.

Revel & Feast hints at what’s possible when all of those elements come together intentionally.

Mia & Amanda are bringing back the experiences that defined the first year like forage & fire, “Smoke on the Plateau” with Chef Kelsie Marchand-Kilawna of the Syilx Sisters, and Sip & Savour. We’re leaning into harvest and the flavours of the season, embracing the slower, chilly days of autumn in the mountains. And we’re looking to add elevation experiences, more getting into nature, and encouraging our chef partners to dream big.

World-class doesn’t have to mean formal or inaccessible. Sometimes world-class feels like sitting around a beautifully set table in a mountain town, eating thoughtfully prepared food made by people who genuinely care.

Revel & Feast: October 14-18 2026 in Revelstoke BC. We are grateful to the support from Tourism Revelstoke for supporting our vision of elevating the culinary Tourism experiences in our incredible mountain destination.

Schedule releasing in June 2026.