FOR WINERIES

Here’s where you’ll find information on our 2025 Cork & Barrel events as well as venue and lodging information. You’ll also find important details, timelines and opportunities for participating in our Cork & Barrel event series. We’re glad you’re here!

About Cork & Barrel

Central Oregon’s largest wine and food event. 

Cork & Barrel is a three-day annual event in mid-July focused on food, wine and philanthropy. In 2025 we’re celebrating our 13th anniversary! Cork & Barrel attracts more than 1,000 guests and typically features a dozen wineries, making it Central Oregon's largest wine and food event. We bring a different wine region to Central Oregon every year and work year-round to curate top-notch wineries, culinary experiences, and auction items. We create exemplary guest experiences and win-win relationships with partner wineries. 

A Benefit for KIDS Center.

Cork & Barrel is Central Oregon’s largest fundraiser. All proceeds benefit KIDS Center our region’s only child abuse intervention center. KIDS Center helps children and families heal from the devastating effects of abuse. KIDS Center provides medical evaluations, forensic interviews, family support services, and therapy at no cost to families. Cork & Barrel raises 20% of KIDS Center’s total operating budget (approx. $500,000), funding services (at no cost) to local children, youth and family members.

2025 Features Pacific Northwest Wineries.

Cork & Barrel highlights a different wine region this year. For 2025, we’re featuring wineries of the Willamette Valley and Columbia Gorge regions!

Winery partnership in Cork & Barrel 2025 is available on a first-come, first-served basis and limited to 20 wineries from our highlighted wine region. Participating wineries must send a representative (a winemaker and/or principal) to Cork & Barrel.

See this year’s participating wineries.

If your winery would like to participate, please contact Birké Whitlock at bwhitlock@kidscenter.org


Our Winery Partnerships are Exceptional. 

We strive to make our partnerships exemplary by providing a fun and positive experience for our winery partners. Cork & Barrel is not a “pay-to-play” wine event. Winery partners pay for their own travel expenses to and from Central Oregon and donate wine to our three Cork & Barrel events (Winemaker Dinners, Sip, and Grand Cru). Wineries participate in two key events and have additional opportunities to engage with our guests and donate auction items. In turn, we promote our winery partners in our Cork & Barrel marketing, event signage and event collateral—and we elevate the presence of our partners at each event.

Review the ways you can participate in this year’s Cork & Barrel (see below). Then complete the Winery Commitment Form. Questions? Email Birké Whitlock at bwhitlock@kidscenter.org

How You Can Participate

Review the ways you can participate in this year’s Cork & Barrel (see below). Then complete the Winery Commitment Form. Questions? Email Birké Whitlock at bwhitlock@kidscenter.org

WINEMAKER DINNERS | JULY 17, 2025

Participation is optional. Opportunities are limited.

We hold up to five Winemaker Dinners on the opening night of Cork & Barrel. Wineries can participate as a standalone, or partner with up to two other wineries. Dinners average around 40 guests and are held at high-end venues around Bend.

Note: Additional Winemaker Dinner opportunities may be available in Spring and Fall 2025. 

A SIP OF CORK & BARREL | JULY 18, 2025

Participation required.

All winery partners pour at this high-end wine tasting and food event. See event details.

GRAND CRU | JULY 19, 2025

Participation required.

All winery partners pour at the Winemaker Reception and join us for the Grand Cru dinner and exciting Live Auction. See event details.

SILENT AUCTIONS | JULY 18 & 19, 2025

Participation encouraged. Donate by May 31, 2025.

Cultivate customers by donating product or winery experiences to Friday’s Sip silent auction and/or Saturday’s silent auction at the Winemaker Reception at Grand Cru.

LIVE AUCTION | JULY 19, 2025

Participation encouraged. Donate by May 31, 2025.

Boost visibility, customer loyalty and good will with a special donation to Saturday’s Live Auction at Grand Cru. This exciting auction takes place during dinner and is run by a fantastic auctioneer.

WELCOME WINE / PROMOTIONAL (12+ Bottles)

Ship wine to KIDS Center no later than May 31, 2025.

Your winery can enjoy additional exposure at Cork & Barrel by contributing 12 bottles of your choice for our use as: wine for marketing purposes in advance of Cork & Barrel; as thank you gifts for special guests of Cork & Barrel 2025, and for use welcoming guests to the tasting events at the Wine Welcome table.

Winery Commitment Form

Ready to join us at Cork & Barrel? Please fill out the form below.

Questions? Contact Birké Whitlock at bwhitlock@kidscenter.org

The Venue

Central Oregon Community College–Athletic Field 

2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR 97703

Cork & Barrel 2025 will be outdoors and under the big tent! Friday’s Sip and Saturday’s Grand Cru events will be held on the Athletic Field of Central Oregon Community College, located on Aubrey Butte, on Bend’s west side.

Parking

Parking will be plentiful, and wineries and vendors will have a dedicated parking lot close to the Athletic Field. Look for directional signs as you approach the campus.

Lodging

Winery partners can take advantage of discounted room rates at The Element Hotel in downtown Bend, and the Holiday Inn Express on Bend’s south end. Get the discount code by contacting Birké Whitlock at bwhitlock@kidscenter.org.

We recommend you make lodging arrangements early, as July is peak tourist season in Bend.

Getting Wine to Us

We need to receive your wine by May 1, 2024. This will allow us time to inventory your product, organize wine for each event, and ensure a smooth event experience for everyone.  

Three Ways to Get Wine to Us:

  1. Pick up from distributor.
    You are welcome to run your event wines through a distributor, if you work with one. We can easily coordinate pick up with your distributor in Central Oregon.

  2. Drop off.
    You are welcome to coordinate a drop off of wine anytime between now and May 31. Is your winemaker coming to Bend to ski? Bring some wine over! Is your sales manager in Central Oregon for a few days? 

  3. Ship.
    You are welcome to ship all wine and any auction items directly to KIDS Center. Ship to:
    KIDS Center
    1375 NW Kingston Avenue
    Bend, OR  97701

Wine Storage 

Cork & Barrel has temperature-controlled wine storage. All event wine and auction wines will be inventoried and properly stored until the day of the event. 

Wine Transport 

Our event staff will pull wine from storage and bring wine to each tasting event. Winery representatives are not responsible for transporting their wine to events.

Our event staff will also secure wine at the end of each tasting event. Winery representatives are not responsible for loading their wine out at the end of the night. 

Donate an Auction Item

Cork & Barrel features two silent auctions and a live auction. If you would like to donate, please note the following deadlines and reach out if you have any questions.

Complete the Auction Donation Form 

Deadline: May 31, 2024

We need all auction items (wines or otherwise) well in advance, as we photograph all items and upload pictures for online bidding. If we do not receive your auction item by May 31, 2024, we cannot guarantee that it will be included in the auction. 

Send Auction Items

Deadline: May 31, 2024

We need to receive all donated auction items (wines or otherwise) well in advance, as we photograph all items and upload pictures for online bidding. If we do not receive your auction items by May 31, 2024, we cannot guarantee they will be included in the auction. 

Event Details

Winemaker Dinners: Thursday, July 18

Participation is optional. Opportunities are limited.

Details, including times and locations, are specific to each Winemaker Dinner. We will communicate details about each dinner directly to the participating winery and culinary partners. 

A Sip of Cork & Barrel: Friday July 19

Participation is required. Arrive 4 pm | Event runs 4:30-7:30 pm

GUEST COUNT

We expect up to 500 guests.

WINE SELECTION  AND QUANTITY

Each winery can opt to pour up to three different wines. (You are welcome to pour a smaller selection if you choose.) Wineries can choose whether to pour the same wines or different wines for Friday’s Sip and Saturday’s Grand Cru events.

At Sip, expect to pour up to 18 bottles (total) for the entire evening. 

If pouring three different wines, then please plan for 6 bottles of each wine—or pour whatever quantity of each sku you want to pour (up to 18 bottles total). 

EVENT TIMING

4 pm  Arrive at your tasting station.

We request that you arrive thirty minutes before the event opens. This will give you time to find your tasting station, check your wines, and get familiar with the event layout. (You do not need to transport wine to the event.)

4:30 pm  Doors open to ticketed guests. 

7:30 pm  Event ends. 

Event staff will secure wine at the end of the event. You are not responsible for loading your wine out at the end of the night. 

WINEMAKER CHECK-IN

There is no formal check-in process—simply arrive at your designated tasting station no later than 4 pm the day of the event. 

If you would like to bid on Silent Auction items at Sip, please go to the Guest Check-in and register a credit card.

TASTING SET UP

Each winery will have a designated tasting station. Your tasting station will include:

–a bin with ice for white wines
–wine keys
–wine governors
–dish clothes
–instructions for closing up your tasting station at the end of the pouring.

Event staff will deliver wine to your tasting station prior to your arrival.

VOLUNTEERS

We assign a volunteer wine pourer to each winery to assist you during the wine tasting portion of the event. Your volunteer will have a current Oregon OLCC Alcohol Server Permit. If your winery representative does not have an OLCC permit, your volunteer covers all the bases as a licensed server in the eyes of the OLCC. 

Thanks for treating your volunteer wine pourer as a valued member of Cork & Barrel. 

Grand Cru: Saturday, July 20

Participation is required. Arrive 4 pm | Event runs 4:30-9 pm

GUEST COUNT

We expect up to 450 guests.

WINE SELECTION AND QUANTITY

Each winery can opt to pour up to three different wines. (You are welcome to pour a smaller selection if you choose.) Wineries can choose whether to pour the same wines or different wines for Friday’s Sip and Saturday’s Grand Cru events.

At the Winemaker Reception, expect to pour 12 bottles total. 

If pouring three different wines, then please plan for 6 bottles of each wine—or pour whatever quantity of each sku you want to pour (up to 18 bottles total). 

EVENT TIMING

4 pm Arrive at your tasting station.

We request that you arrive thirty minutes before the event opens. This will give you time to find your tasting station, check your wines, and get familiar with the event layout. (You do not need to transport wine to the event.)

4:30 pm   Doors open to ticketed guests. Winemaker Reception begins.

6 pm Winemaker Reception ends. Grand Cru Dinner and Live Auction begin.

9 pm   Event ends.

Event staff will secure wine at the end of each tasting event. Winery representatives are not responsible for loading their wine out at the end of the night. 

WINEMAKER CHECK-IN

There is no formal check-in process—simply arrive at your designated tasting station no later than 4 pm the day of the event. 

If you would like to bid on Silent Auction items at Sip, please go to the Guest Check-in and register a credit card. 

TASTING SET UP

Each winery will have a designated tasting station. Your tasting station will include:

–a bin with ice for white wines
–wine keys
–wine governors
–dish clothes
–instructions for closing up your tasting station at the end of the pouring.
–your seat assignment for the Grand Cru dinner

VOLUNTEERS

We assign a volunteer wine pourer to each winery to assist you during the wine tasting portion of the event. Your volunteer will have a current Oregon OLCC Alcohol Server Permit. If your winery representative does not have an OLCC permit, your volunteer covers all the bases as a licensed server in the eyes of the OLCC. 

Thanks for treating your volunteer wine pourer as a valued member of Cork & Barrel. 

DINNER

You are our special guest at our Grand Cru dinner, which begins directly after the Winemaker Reception. Check the Winemaker Bin at your tasting station for your dinner seat assignment.