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Yaletown is about to turn into a roaming wine bar with the return of Top Drop Vancouver.

Back for 2026, the two-day wine festival is scaling up with its biggest lineup yet, bringing more than 70 wineries from around the world to Vancouver from May 11 to 12. The focus stays the same: small-production, terroir-driven wines, poured by the folks who actually make them. 

This year’s programming kicks off with a trio of Monday night events, including a newly rebranded outdoor tasting in Helmcken Plaza. The event has been renamed Euro Plaza, but the concept remains intact: a European-style square filled with over 30 wineries pouring more than 60 wines, spanning Champagne, Barolo, Burgundy, and beyond. Expect a casual, walk-around format, with bites from Yaletown Brewing Company and a crowd that’s there to drink.

If you’d rather keep things indoors, two concurrent parties take over Yaletown later that evening. Hemispheres, hosted at Heist, focuses on global producers from the Southern Hemisphere alongside sake from Japan. Meanwhile, Home Turf at Earls Loft keeps things closer to home, pouring wines from some of BC’s most exciting producers, from established names to newer natural-leaning labels.

Everything builds toward the main event on Tuesday night at the Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, where all 70-plus wineries come together for a grand tasting. It’s the closest thing to a one-stop shop for wine nerds and the wine-curious alike, with a chance to taste broadly and chat directly with winemakers without the usual barriers.

Top Drop has always positioned itself as a more grounded alternative to traditional wine events, and this year seems to double down on that approach. 

When: May 11 and 12

Where: Various venues

Tickets: $78+, available here