4th Annual Oregon Cheese Festival

Oregon-inspired culinary events, including a Meet the Winemakers and Cheesemakers Dinner and a farmer’s market-style artisan food and wine festival will kick off with the Oregon Cheese Festival during the third weekend in March.

At the festival on Saturday March 15 and Sunday March 16, thousands of visitors will sample cow, sheep and goat cheese from Oregon and northern California creameries, including Fraga Farm, Juniper Grove Farm, Pholia Farm, Tumalo Farms, Tillamook County Creamery Association , Willamette Valley Cheese Co., Fern’s Edge Dairy, Rivers Edge Chevre, Ancient Heritage Dairy ,Silver Falls Creamery , Vella Cheese and Rogue Creamery.

Held under a giant tent at Rogue Creamery's Central Point facility, the fourth annual festival will invite guests to shake hands with cheesemakers.

"The farmer's market format will present an interactive experience between makers and visitors, giving everyone an opportunity to talk about the product, the process and learn each individual cheesemaker's story," says David Gremmels, owner with Cary Bryant of Rogue Creamery. "It's a way to truly be connected with the source of the cheese being presented."

Other participating culinary artisans include Lillie Belle Farms, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Gary West Meats, Rising Sun Farms, Applegate Valley Artisan Bread Co., Butte Creek Mill, Pennington Farms, Slagle Creek Winery, Madrone Mountain Vineyards, Eden Vale Winery, Paschal Winery, Agate Ridge, Troon Vineyard and Rogue Ales.

Samples and sales will be offered at each booth. Festival music will be provided by accordionist Michelle Scheffler and children are invited to participate in the activities such as face painting and coloring .

To commence the festival, a sumptuous meal introducing guests to participating artisans will be held at Ashland Springs Hotel Friday night March 14 from 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.“Prepared by Chef Damon Jones, the event will give the public a chance to have an intimate conversation with the experts," says Gremmels. "We are very pleased to announce that Laura Werlin ,American Society of Cheese board member and acclaimed food writer and author of GREAT GRILLED CHEESE 50 Innovative Recipes for Stovetop, Grill and Sandwich Maker; THE ALL AMERICAN CHEESE AND WINE BOOK and the IACP award-winning THE NEW AMERICAN CHEESE , will be our guest this year."

"Using local ingredients, each course will spotlight a cheese made by one of the festival's artisans paired with a local wine. Winemakers and cheesemakers will join Chef Damon in discussing the showcase dishes.It will help make this year’s Oregon Cheese Festival a spectacular celebration of artisan cheese made here in the Northwest.”

Prior to the Friday dinner, the Oregon Cheesemakers Guild will meet to discuss guild business, future goals, supply sources and how to build educational collateral materials. "Then, on Friday afternoon, cheesemakers will collaborate to create a superb cheese plate representing all of the finest artisan cheesemakers from the state," says Gremmels. "The phenomenal result will greet guests at the evening's commencement dinner".

The Oregon Cheese Festival will be open to the public Saturday, March 15 and Sunday March 16, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rogue Creamery, 311 North Front St, Central Point, OR. A $5 entry fee includes tastings and demonstrations. A $5 wine tasting fee includes a commemorative wine glass etched with the Oregon Cheese Guild logo. Tickets to the dinner are $70 per person. For more information contact Rogue Creamery at 541-665-1155 ext. 163.

The festival would not be possible without the generous support of the City of Central Point, the Dairy Farmers of Oregon, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department and the members of Oregon Cheese Guild.