Social outings often include visits to commercial wineries and breweries. One of the best benefits of club membership is the improved winemaking that comes from comparing ideas and techniques with others, a process that often carries on into competition for awards of excellence. In 1969 several local clubs banded together and incorporated the Amateur Winemakers of Ontario. The AWO has grown to over 36 clubs representing 600 individual members. The AWO operates a judging service for the clubs.
Accredited judges serve as guest speakers as well as help the winemakers evaluate their wines.
These judges taste over 1,800 entries at club competitions during the year. Their comments help the members select the club entries for the annual provincial competition. The Judges Commission then award medals to the best of some 600 provincial entries. During the year the members receive educational articles and information about current events in the quarterly AWOnews . The Festival weekend each June is the culmination of activities for the year.