Finding a gap in the market and being sharp enough to fill it with your product or service is every entrepreneur’s dream, and the smartest way to identify that gap is by solving your own problems.
That’s exactly what Shevaghn Darcy is doing with Cellar Events—her self-proclaimed “business baby”—and the event company that is bringing a new wine fair to the Halifax Convention Centre on Oct. 19.
Darcy has basically grown up in the beverage and alcohol industry, starting out as a territory sales rep and moving her way up to managing the sales portfolio for Escalade Wine and Spirits for Atlantic Canada.
“In all of that work, I saw that Halifax is missing premium alcohol events,” says Darcy. “We haven’t had a large festival like this since before Covid when NSLC used to host something like it, so I saw a huge void in the space.”
The iteration of the wine fair—presented by Cellar Events—is not just another wine event; it’s
a curated experience that celebrates the best of local and international wines—with a special focus on Nova Scotian viticulture.
With 4,000 attendees expected across two sessions, the event promises to be a space that brings together wine lovers, industry experts and the Halifax community for a day filled (to the brim?) with tastings, education and unforgettable experiences.
It’s an ambitious venture for the fledgling events company, but Darcy is confident that if she builds it, they will come. “Last December, I incorporated Cellar Events with the goal of our first event being a premium wine fair,” she says. “I had a strong vision because I have attended events like this all over the world.”
The focus of the festival is on community and giving local businesses an opportunity to connect; think less tradeshow and more interactive marketplace. It will be a different vibe than what people might have become accustomed to with the traditional pre-Covid wine shows of yore. As a woman-owned business, Darcy takes pride in fostering meaningful connections between community, sustainability and excellence.
“We’re so lucky to have such a boosting winery scene right here in our backyard and a lot of those owners are good friends of mine, so to see their growth and evolution has been super impressive,” says Darcy. “The fair will definitely have a strong focus on local wineries and on their quality and how they’re getting global recognition.”
Oh, and local food of course. Cellar Events has selected some delicious food vendors and pop-ups, like Vandal Donuts, Larry’s Sandwiches, Sober Island Oysters and Taste of Nova Scotia.
Another huge shift is the one towards charity, which Darcy is very passionate about. Cellar Events is partnering with Alice House—a Halifax-based organization that provides opportunities for women and their children to create a life free from intimate partner violence by offering safe housing, counselling and support services.
“I am very passionate about supporting women in abusive relationships because I’ve had a lot of people close to me that have experienced that, so Alice House was an organization I could really get behind,” says Darcy.
The main way they will be generating money is through raffle tickets that will be on sale at the fair for some primo items, including two round-trip tickets to Bermuda (donated by Bermuda Airlines) and a $3,000 medi package from Bedford Skin Clinic.
Wine Fair Halifax will have two sessions—1pm and 7pm—on Oct. 19 at the Halifax Convention Centre. Get tickets at https://www.winefairhalifax.com/.
This article appears in Oct 1 – Nov 6, 2024.