The Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting welcomes waters from more than a dozen countries, and states from California to Florida, this week in preparation for the Water Tasting judging on Saturday, February 22.
Held at The Country Inn in Berkeley Springs, the festival is the largest and longest running water tasting in the world, dubbed by BuzzFeed and The Week as “the world’s most prestigious water tasting.”
Tasting of municipal waters, followed by purified drinking waters begins at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Country’s Inn’s Garden Room.
Non-carbonated bottled and sparkling waters are tasted at 6:30 p.m. Winners in all categories are announced at 8:30 p.m.
Handcrafted glass water drops, created by West Virginia’s Appalachian Glass, are presented as awards.
World-wide water awards
More than 750 distinct waters have entered over the life of the event, coming from all over the United States and from as far away as Greece, New Zealand, Tajikistan and Japan. Entries from 59 countries, D.C. and all but three states have been represented since the beginning in 1991.
“The impact of winning this event is extraordinary for a bottler,” said Jill Klein Rone, event producer. “Many have experienced exponential growth, others closed major deals, and almost all winners redesign their labels to display their winning medal.”
A distinguished panel of media judges determine the official winners, but there is a role for the public. All day Saturday, they taste water along with the judges. Most importantly, the public votes for the People’s Choice Award for best packaging.
The public can vote online for the People’s Choice package design. Voting began February 8 and goes until February 22 at 8 p.m. Anyone can vote by going to www.berkeleysprings.com. Voting also takes place all day Saturday at the festival, along with public tastings, and exhibit booths.
While the crowd gathers for the awards ceremony at the end of the day on Saturday, the BlackCat Village Band, a multigenerational instrumental ensemble, returns with their eclectic variety of tunes from around the globe.
“The real excitement for the audience comes at the conclusion,” Klein Rone said. “Once the awards are presented, we stage the now world-famous ‘water rush’ where folks scramble to take home some of the hundreds of bottles of water that have been used for display.”
Judges measure quality
Watermaster Arthur von Wiesenberger, noted expert and author from Santa Barbara, Calif., trains the media judges and directs the challenge of evaluating a product where tastelessness is the most sought after quality. The unique event, dubbed the “granddaddy of water tastings,” is produced by Travel Berkeley Springs.
Judges include representatives from the Insider’s Guide to Spas, The Walrus, and The Charleston Gazette, as well as journalists and freelance writers whose work appears in various newspapers and magazines, travel sites, podcasts and blogs.
Seminars & industry award
“Water: Beneath the Surface and Around the Globe,” the event’s seminar, addresses industry issues on Friday February 21 from 1 – 5pm. Topics include water and sanitation for all; water quality, from source to tap; an overview of OneDrop Foundation; and actions individuals can take to help protect water.
Both the seminar and Saturday night’s events are live streamed on the BerkeleySpringsWV Facebook page.
One Drop Foundation will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lisa Clowery, Co-Chief Executive Officer, shares One Drop’s story during Friday’s seminar. Since its founding in 2007 by Guy Laliberté, visionary creator of Cirque du Soleil and Lune Rouge, One Drop Foundation has transformed the lives of nearly 3 million people in Latin America, India, Africa, and among Indigenous communities in Canada. Guided by its vision of a sustainable future with safe water for all, One Drop empowers communities to tackle the water and climate crisis through innovative, sustainable initiatives. 
Project WET, Water Education Today, will be joined by the Cacapon Institute as they visit Pleasant View and Paw Paw Elementary Schools on February 27. They will be doing hands-on Project WET activities that specifically tie into drinking water and water management of this most precious natural resource.
“I love that every year we are able to highlight water and contribute in such a positive way,” said Klein-Rone of 35 years of hosting and organizing this event.
“By recognizing excellence and awarding gold, silver and bronze medals, we are contributing to the economic development of water companies and municipalities,” she said.
“One of my favorite parts of water tasting is the seminar, where we’re able to focus on such important issues. When I get speakers, I tell them that I know we have to discuss all the problems, and there are many and they are growing, and, I want people to go away from the seminar with hope. I ask each speaker to share positive actions individuals can do, and can take back to their community,” said Klein-Rone.
“This year’s seminar truly does focus on the positive, with recognizing One Drop Foundation for the life-saving work they are doing around the world. And a young Ph.D. student sharing cutting edge technology, as well as advancing community involvement,” she said.
“I feel fortunate to be able to promote and represent Berkeley Springs on the world stage. I can honestly say that good water was one of the deciding factors for choosing Berkeley Springs as my home, and it has always been an important part of my life – having good well water, producing ‘The Ripple Effect’, a show about the need to protect the water, and traveling to present gold medals, always acknowledging the good and necessary work, and always reminding people that we can’t live without it, we must protect our most precious natural resource — water!” Klein-Rone said.
