The event kicks off tonight, June 27, with great food, great wine and rock 'n' roll as the Snags take to the stage at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park.

Things will get rockin' at 5 p.m. when the gates open for the festival which showcases restaurants and catering businesses from across the region as well as a handful of the region's wineries.

There are 17 food vendors and five wineries lined up for the event, each will offer between three and four samples at a maximum cost of $4. From cheese quesadillas and pulled pork crepes to chicken souvlaki and coconut shrimp there is something for everyone on the menu at Flavours of Niagara.

"It's a great way to taste food you normally wouldn't try," said Terry Kadwell, community development for South Niagara Community Futures Development Corp., which has teamed up with the city, Port Colborne Economic and Tourism Development Corp, and the Folk Arts Council to put on the festival. "And it's affordable for families."

Kadwell said they are expecting more people this year. In its inaugural year the festival attracted more than 25,000 to the lakefront park.

In its second year there is more awareness around the event, Kadwell said, which leads organizers to expect a bigger crowd.

Kadwell said they have taken precautions to keep unwanted guests out of the eating area.

Special kites will be flying to keep seagulls away from the event so the pesky birds won't be bothering visitors as they chow down.

"It's the perfect culinary experience," Kadwell said. "We've got great wine, good food and the best of Canadian jazz entertainment."

Kadwell said the organizers wanted to keep in theme with ethnic week and will be offering a diversity of food items for the festival.

A number of events have been planned to coincide with the Flavours of Niagara festival including Sugarloaf Marina's 20th anniversary festivities, which finale with a performance by the Johnny Max Band from 7 to 10 p.m. A Bikini Blues fashion show will be held Saturday at 5 p.m.

The Port Colborne Hospital Foundation will draw the winning ticket for its annual cash draw Sunday.

The festival winds down Sunday with fireworks at 10 p.m.

Admission to the festival is free and visitors are welcome to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the music. No outside food will be permitted in the park.

Participating food vendors include Cafe on Main, Five Star Cuisine Caterers, Gabrielle's Custom Catering, The Heat is on Catering, In Season Catering, Joe Feta's Greek Village, Joe's Meat Market, Kool Kat's Caribbean Restaurant, The Old Bank Bistro and Bar, On the Waterfront, Pizza Pizza, Rotary Club of Port Colborne Centennial, San Marco's Ristorante, Smoke Shack, The Smokin' Buddha and The View Restaurant at Eastdell Estates.

Coyote's Run Estate Winery, Eastdell Estates, Joseph's Estates Wines, Maleta Estate Winery and Reif Estate Winery will be sampling their varieties to accompany the diverse offering of food items.

The festival kicks off at 5 p.m. today and will run until 10 p.m. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

FRIDAY

7-10 p.m. The Snags

SATURDAY

1-3 p.m. George Lake Big Band

3:30-5 p.m. Uptown Swing Band

7:30-10 p.m. Flat Broke

7-11 p.m. (at Sugarloaf Marina) Johnny Max Band

SUNDAY

1-3 p.m. Steve Burnside with the Marquis

3:30-5:30 p.m. The Rod Nickson Project

7:30-10 p.m. Jonesy