Colombo will host the first ever Ceylon Tea Festival from August 11-13, bringing together a wide array of events and activities celebrating the tradition of tea for a new generation of consumers.
The three-day festival will provide a range of free and ticketed events, tea appreciation masterclasses, Tea Banquets with world class Michelin star chefs, pop-up tea galleries, food markets,tea tastings, tea and wellness, high teas, tea brunches and tea with music.
The festival will also be Sri Lanka’s first luxury food, drink and leisure event that will champion Ceylon Tea.
“Our goal is to make Ceylon Tea contemporary and youthful while celebrating its rich heritage. We want to associate our premium Ceylon tea with the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. Today the millennial consumer does not know that Ceylon Tea comes from Sri Lanka,” a spokesman for the organisers said.
“By creating a tea tourism product we can make this association much stronger which we will market globally to attract more tourists and build equity for both Ceylon Tea and Sri Lanka Tourism.
Today global travellers look for authentic experiences and the Ceylon Tea Festival can become one of these,” he said.
Co-founder and Director of the Ceylon Tea Festival, Mrs. Neela Marikkar, Chairperson of Dentsu Grant Group said, “The Tea Festival was originally conceptualised over a decade ago as part of a greater plan to promote the Ceylon Tea Brand and to create a global demand for a local event that celebrates the rich taste that is unique to Sri Lankan grown teas.
This is possibly the first time a three Michelin Star Chef will present a Ceylon Tea curated menu. We hope this will spur consumers to see and appreciate Ceylon Tea and the unique flavours of the seven growing regions.”
The festival also brings together the Sri Lanka Tea Board, the Colombo Tea Traders Association and Sri Lanka Tourism with prestigious brands like Mastercard to support an event of this nature. The annual festival is expected to be a highlight in local and international calendars and, the team at Dentsu Grant Group will look to create similar festivals outside Colombo and eventually in key markets overseas.
The full programme is now available via the Ceylon Tea Festival website at ceylonteafestival.com. Tickets for selected events will also be available on the site and other locations to be announced shortly. At the centre of the celebration will be a specialist tea tasting master class and two exclusive dinner events that will feature a tea inspired culinary journey presented by highly celebrated chefs.