How Taste Ex brought all of Canada to London
About Taste Ex
The London Food & Drink Experience is back January 22 to 23, 2027, with a whole new way to explore Canadian food and drink. Here is how we got here.
Where it started
Every winter, London comes out to the J-AAR Expo Centre at Western Fair District to sip, sample and discover something new. For eighteen years, The London Wine and Food Show has been a beloved tradition. A place where great taste, good company, and unforgettable experiences come together. Now, it’s evolving into the Taste Experience (Taste Ex™): The London Food and Drink Experience, a fresh new chapter celebrating the incredible flavours of Canada.
For years the show was laid out by drink, with wine in one area, beer in another and spirits in the next. It was a great formula, and Taste Ex 2026 was one of our best shows yet.
The moments people remembered most were always the discoveries: a producer they had never heard of, a bite that surprised them, the story behind the bottle. So for 2027 we asked a bigger question. What if every taste came with the story of where it comes from?
Why four destinations
Canada is too big and too delicious to sort by drink type. A glass of Okanagan wine tastes different with salmon and cedar around it. A Prairie rye makes more sense next to a bison slider.
So we built the whole show around place. Four regions, from the Pacific to the Atlantic, each with its own food, drinks, music and look. Move from one region to the next and the room changes around you: the sounds, the smells, the light and the flavours. All of it right here in London.
It is still the most drinks in one show, featuring Canadian producers you will not find at the LCBO, all gathered in one place. Now every one of them comes with its story.
Region 1 of 4
West Coast
British Columbia and the Pacific. Salmon, cedar and Okanagan wine.
Explore West Coast
Region 2 of 4
The Prairies
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Beef, bison, grain and bold spirits.
Explore the prairies
Region 3 of 4
C. Metropolis
Ontario and Quebec. Delis, bistros, neon and city street food.
Explore Central Metropolis
Region 4 of 4
East Coast
Atlantic Canada. Lobster, mussels, cider and a kitchen party.
Explore East Coast
The show, then and now
Same great night out, a brand new floor.
Layout
Organized by drink: wine, beer and spirits
Organized by place: four regions of Canada, from west to east
Food and drink
Great tastings across the floor
Regional drinks paired with regional food. Every region has its own bar and six to eight themed food stations
The look
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Themed stations built by Western Fair District: timber huts, harvest stalls, laneway counters and wharf shacks
The experience
A tasting show
An experience for all five senses, with décor, lighting, live music and landmark photo ops in every region
Taste Ex is produced by Western Fair District in London, Ontario.
When we choose our food partners, London businesses come first. They are joined by producers from across the region and the country who bring a true taste of home to each destination.
Made in London
All of Canada, right here in London
Three sessions at the J-AAR Expo Centre, Western Fair District, London. $25 in advance, $30 at the door, and every ticket includes a free glass.
Friday evening
January 22, 6 to 11 PM
Saturday afternoon
January 23, 12 to 5 PM
Saturday evening
January 22, 6 to 11 PM