Pull Up a Chair: Come Over October Invites Canadians to Make Time for Each Other

Canadians invited to pull up a chair and connect during a month-long celebration of food, hospitality and Canadian wine

OTTAWA, Sept. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wine Growers Canada is inviting Canadians to put down their screens, pull up a chair and make time for each other this October.

Come Over October is a month-long celebration of human connection, encouraging friends, families, neighbours and communities to reconnect through shared meals, conversation and hospitality.

The invitation is deliberately simple: sometime this October, invite someone to come over.

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It might be inviting someone to share Thanksgiving dinner, a glass of wine, a coffee, a winery visit, or simply an extra place set at the table for a weeknight meal. There is no single day or way to participate; the entire month of October is an opportunity to reach out and spend time together.

“Some of our most meaningful moments begin with a simple invitation: come over,” said Dan Paszkowski, President and CEO of Wine Growers Canada. “It’s easy to let busy schedules, work and digital distractions crowd out time with the people around us. Come Over October is a reminder to make that time — reconnect with an old friend, get to know a neighbour, invite someone new to the table or simply spend an evening together without a screen between you.”

Throughout October, wineries, restaurants, wine retailers, tourism organizations and community partners across Canada will bring the campaign to life, with particular focus on two national Days of Action: Open the Door on October 1 and The Long Table on October 16.

The Days of Action provide focal points for industry and community participation, but Canadians are encouraged to gather throughout October. Those who cannot participate on October 1 or 16 can choose any day that works for them.

The first National Day of Action starts the month with a simple challenge: invite one person today.

Wineries, restaurants and community partners are encouraged to open their doors with welcoming events, harvest gatherings and opportunities for people to bring a friend or meet someone new. The campaign’s Canadian Empty Chair Initiative brings that invitation to life. An empty chair at a kitchen table, on a porch, at a winery or in a restaurant becomes a simple visual reminder that there is always room to include someone else.

The second National Day of Action invites Canadians to set a place for connection .

Across the country, wineries, restaurants and community partners will create opportunities to gather, from communal tables and harvest dinners to neighbourhood potlucks and celebrations of local food and wine. But a “long table” doesn’t have to be long.