MADISON, Wis. – Tickets to Fourth Annual Wisconsin Cheese Originals Festival are now on sale, offering attendees the chance to meet more than 40 cheesemakers through two days of tours, seminars, dinners, and the ever popular Meet the Cheesemaker Gala at Monona Terrace.
Hosted by Wisconsin Cheese Originals, the Nov. 9-10 festival is the premier destination for cheese enthusiasts from across the country. More than 1,000 people trek to Madison for the event. Tickets are available online at www.wicheesefest.com. In an effort to accommodate more attendees to the annual sold-out festival, more tours, seminars and dinners have been added.
On Friday morning, Nov. 9, three all-day tours kick off the event and motor to eight different cheese factories, dairy farms, craft breweries and local pubs, giving attendees backstage passes to Wisconsin’s growing dairy artisan community and food culture.
Then on Friday night, the Meet the Cheesemaker Gala moves into the ballroom at Monona Terrace and is ticketed in two time slots, from 6 to 8 p.m., and 8 to 10 p.m. Each session is limited to 250 attendees, allowing everyone to personally meet and greet cheesemakers in a relaxed and enjoyable setting. Attendees should come ready to taste and then purchase their favorite cheeses at the expanded Metcalfe’s Marketplace inside the Gala. In addition, Fromagination will sell cheese accessories. More than 40 cheesemakers and food artisans will sample 200 different cheeses and foods.
On Saturday, the festival switches into educational mode with an all-day seminar track, kicking off with a 10:30 a.m. keynote by Ari Weinzweig of Zingerman’s Deli. Following an elegant lunch in the Grand Terrace, attendees can choose from four different afternoon seminars, including two cheesemaker panels, cheese and chocolate pairings, and a Tennessee whiskey and cheese seminar.
On Saturday night, the festival concludes with 10 cheesemaker dinners at 10 different Madison Originals partner restaurants, where each chef prepares an exclusive three-course dinner featuring Wisconsin cheese. Attendees join the featured cheesemaker at a private table for 16.
Wisconsin Cheese Originals wishes to thank all sponsors of the Fourth Annual Wisconsin Original Cheese Festival, including Marquee Sponsor Emmi Roth USA; Gold-Level sponsors Arla Foods, Klondike Cheese, Sartori, World Import Distributors, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board; Silver-Level sponsors BelGioioso Cheese, Fromagination, Organic Valley, Uplands Cheese; Bronze-Level sponsors Carr Valley Cheese, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, DCI Cheese Company, Roelli Cheese; and Supporting Sponsors Hook’s Cheese, Montchevre and Widmer’s Cheese Cellars.
About Wisconsin Cheese Originals
Have Fun. Do Good. Eat Cheese. Wisconsin Cheese Originals shares information about Wisconsin artisan cheeses through a variety of events, all in the spirit of celebrating Wisconsin cheesemakers. It also offers an annual $2,500 scholarship to a beginning cheesemaker to help launch new artisanal cheeses. www.wisconsincheeseoriginals.com
Source: Wisconsin Cheese Originals