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 second weekend in March.

At the festival on Saturday March 14, 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, Oregon Gourmet Cheeses, Silver Falls Creamery, Siskiyou Crest Dairy, Tillamook County Creamery Association , Willamette Valley Cheese Co., Fern’s Edge Dairy, Rivers Edge Chevre, Ancient Heritage Dairy, Cypress Grove, Vella Cheese and Rogue Creamery.

Held under a giant tent at Rogue Creamery's Central Point facility, the fifth 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 culinary artisans who are expected to participate 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, Paschal Winery, Madrone Mountain Vineyards, Eden Vale Winery, Valley Vue Winery, Agate Ridge Vineyard, Daisy Creek Vineyard, Wandering Aengus Ciderworks, Deux Chats Bakery, Dry Soda, Cascade Peak Spirits and Rogue Ales.

Samples and sales will be offered at each booth. Festival music will be provided by Michelle Scheffler and Bruno Grassi, and children are invited to participate in the event's annual coloring contest sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Oregon.

To commence the festival, a sumptuous meal introducing guests to participating artisans will be held at the historic U.S. Hotel Ballroom at the Jacksonville Inn in Jacksonville, Friday night March 13 from 6:15 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. The dinner is for the benefit of the non-profit 501(c)(6) Oregon Cheesemaker Guild.

“The event will give the public a chance to have an intimate conversation with the experts at an elegant dinner at the Jacksonville Inn Prepared by Chef Platon Mantheakis and his culinary team," says Gremmels. Each course will spotlight a cheese made by one of the festival's artisans paired with a local wine.  Throughout the meal, celebrated cheese columnist and author Janet Fletcher will act as emcee and join the winemakers and cheesemakers in discussing the showcase dishes.  Fletcher and Kate Arding, founder of Culture Magazine, will lead festival-goers through Oregon cheese and wine sensory experiences during the Saturday event. 

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. Dr. Moshe Rosenberg, Professor at the UC Davis Department of Food Science will present his vision about "The Terroir of U.S. Made Cheeses."

"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 14 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 and are avaialble by calling our toll free number 866-396-4704.  For more information contact Rogue Creamery at 866-396-4704. 

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.
 
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