What is a tea festival? Well, in short, it is a day all about tea. Learning about tea, tea preparation, tea culture and history and of course, tons of tea tastings!
The main event, so to speak, is our tea market. All gathered together will be lots of tea merchants. There will be local Chicago area merchants as well as vendors from all around the world who will have tea samples for tasting. Also we will have some craftspeople who create tea-related art!
But this event is about so much more than browsing with the merchants. Through workshops, lectures, tastings and networking you will enhance your knowledge of everything tea.
Classes —- 70 classes by 40+ speakers you’ve been wanting to meet
LiveStream — 15 of the live classses offered live and then later at your leisure
Index of Lectures, Workshops and Events grouped by interest.
(Check out our fantastic lineup of well-known Speakers)
- Special Events (8)
- Culture & Ceremony (7)
- Health & Lifestyle (7)
- Basics of Specialty Tea (7)
- Tea for Foodies (8)
- History of Tea (6)
- World of Tea (17)
- Advanced Tea Topics (8)
- The Business of Tea (12)
Special Events
- Opening Ceremony: A Cup of Tea In Friendship
- Opening Night Cocktail Reception
- Taste The World In a Cup – Passport & Gift
- Afternoon Tea Buffet with Lorna Reeves, Tea Time Magazine
- Breakfast With the Rock Stars of Tea
- TCC Cup Warming, with Dan Robertson, International Tea Cuppers Club
- Lunch With Cultural Dignitaries
- People’s Choice Tea Competition
Culture & Ceremony
- Art & Tea, Expand Your Senses Jeni Dodd, Jeni Dodd Teas
- Cacao Ceremony from the Sufi Tradition Suzy Adra
- Cha Dao Tea Ceremony Rachel Maley, Cha Dao Chicago
- Elegant Chinese Tea Serving Table Set Up in 10 Minutes Dr. Sally Wei, Sally’s Parlor
- The Way of Tea & The Tea Ceremony Rachel Maley, Cha Dao Chicago
- Japanese Tea Ceremony Asami Iba, GEN-J
- Jing Si Still Thoughts Ceremony Dr. Sally Wei, Sally’s Parlor
Health & Lifestyle
- The Art of Stillness & Tea Meditation Suzette Hammond, Being Tea
- Healthy, Happy & Hydrated with Teas & Functional Herbs Maria Uspenski, The Tea Spot
- Planning Tea Events for Children Mercedes Wadkins, Bellasia Tea
- Sharing Your Passion “Growing Tea” Within Your Local Commun Judi Slack
- Tea With Children – The Next Generation of Tea Lovers Mercedes Wadkins, Bellasia Tea
- The Science of Relaxation & Tea Meditation Suzette Hammond, Being Tea
- Little Leaf Bits, Big Health Benefits: Matcha’s Nutrients Noli Ergas, Sugimoto Tea
Basics of Specialty Teas
- At Last, A Simple Way to Find YOUR Perfect Cup of Tea Stacie Robertson, Tea Market
- Buying Tea on a Budget Suzette Hammond, Being Tea
- How to Brew TeaWithout a Chart Donna Fellman, World Tea AcademyIntro to Cupping for Consumers Suzette Hammond, Being Tea
- Keep Those Pinkies Down! Bruce Richardson, Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
- Six Teas from One Leaf Donna Fellman, World Tea Academy
- Tea 101: Understanding Specialty Tea Bruce Richardson, Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
Tea for Foodies
* Note: There are two “Tea Cocktails” workshops with two different but equally well-respected tea people. Since this is a very popular topic, we offer it as an opportunity for some of you to take both and diversify and for others to have two different slots on the schedule to be able to attend.
- *Tea Cocktails with Agnes Rapacz Agnes Rapacz, Tea Gschwendner
- *Tea Cocktails with Cynthia Gold Cynthia Gold, L’Espalier
- Pairing Tea & Bourbon Bruce Richardson, Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
- Pairing Tea & Food Cynthia Gold, L’Espalier
- Tea & Chocolate, A Taste Collab Sheila Duda, Tealula
- The Leaf & The Grain: Tea & Scotch Pairing Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia Sinensis
- Wine & Tea, A Comparative History James Norwood Pratt, author
- Cooking & Baking with Tea: Another Way to Interest Customers Phillipe Sabon
History of Tea
- Tea, Tearooms and Women’s Suffrage Judi Slack
- Tea, Tearooms & Women’s Suffrage Judi Slack
- The Book of Tea & The Beautiful Foolishness of Things Bruce Richardson, Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
- The Tea Horse Road: Ancient Trade Route to Tibet Judi Slack
- Travels Along the Tea Road Bill Waddington, Tea Source
- Wine & Tea, A Comparative History James Norwood Pratt, author
World of Tea
- Rare Wulong Teas: Contemporary & Classic Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia Sinensis
- 15 Teas Every Tea Lover Should Taste Lorna Reeves, Tea Time Magazine
- A Sampling of Single Origin Teas James Orrock, Single Origin Teas
- Darjeeling Teas: 2019 Sample Tasting James Orrock, Single Origin Teas
- Darjeeling, the Champagne of Teas Dan Robertson, The Tea House
- Immersion Pu’er Dan Robertson, World Tea Tours
- Innovations in Tea Dan Robertson, The Tea House
- Nepal Tea: Discover the Hidden Gem in the Himalayas Jeni Dodd, Jeni Dodd Teas
- New Zealand: A New Tea Region Jeni Dodd, Jeni Dodd Teas
- North America, the New Cutting Edge of Specialty Tea Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia Sinensis
- Taiwanese Oolong Ins and Outs Dr. Sally Wei, Sally’s Parlor
- Teas of Japan and Thes Du Japon Gabriela Sorgenfrey
- Teas of Korea Sharyn Johnston, Australian Tea Masters
- Teas of Vietnam Sharyn Johnston, Australian Tea Masters
- World of Matcha Agnes Rapacz, Tea Gschwendner
- Journey to Jingshan Dan Bolton, Tea Journey Magazine
- Chinese Tea Joanna Wu, Shenzen Tea Fair
Advanced Tea Topics
*Note: Advanced Tea Topics crossover between the interests of people working in the industry and for regular tea lovers for are searching for something beyond the Tea 101 education.
- The New Transparency Tony Gebely, Tea Epicure and Hugo Tea Company
- Qualities of High Value Teas: Aroma, Taste, Texture & Chi Elyse Petersen, Tealet
- The State of US Tea Cultivation James Orrock, USLTG & Single Origin Teas
- Making Matcha Noli Ergas, Sugimoto Tea
- Modern Brewing Trends & Innovations Sharyn Johnson, Australian Tea Masters
- Innovations in Tea Dan Robertson, The Tea House
- Immersion Puer Dan Robertson, The Tea House
- Rare Wulong Teas: Contemporary & Classic Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia Sinensis
The Business of Tea
*Note: Friday has been considered our “industry day” where we grouped more topics of interest to commercial buyers, tea retailers and anyone considering a career in tea. But attendance in the classes is not restricted. But we want to help you select topics that are most appropriate for you.
- A Blind Tea Tasting James Orrock, Single Origin Teas
- Tea as a Small Business – Lalith Paranavitana, Empire Tea Lalith Paranavitana, Empire Tea
- Using Social Media to Grow Your Business Social Media Director, Tealula
- North America, The New Cutting Edge of Specialty Tea Kevin Gascoyne, Camellia Sinensis
- Current Trends, Tea Ascends Dan Bolton, Tea Journey Magazine
- The State of U.S. Tea Cultivation James Orrock, Single Origin Tea
- Panel Discussion: What do millennials and the next generation want as a tea experience
- 50 Things Done Well Make a Big Difference Stacie Robertson, Tea Market
- Retail Innovations Dan Bolton, Tea Journey
- Cooking & Baking with Tea: Another Way to Interest Customers Phillipe Sabon
- Serving & Selling Great Tea In a Food Service Setting Bill Waddington, Tea Source
- ITCC Cup Warming, with Dan Robertson, International Tea Cuppers Club