California Artisan Cheese Festival: March 24–26 in Sonoma County

Photo courtesy of Miss Cheesemonger

“Life is Great. Cheese Makes it Better,” wrote Avery Aames, author of the bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery Series, and we agree.  That’s why we’re looking forward to three full days of cheese bliss, coming up soon at the 17th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival.

This festival is a true celebration of craft, and since the work of the cheesemaker begins out on the farm, the festivities start with a series of farm and producer tours on Friday, March 24. Most tours include visits to wineries and breweries, and one even includes a goat yoga session.

On Saturday, March 25, participants can choose among numerous educational seminars and pairing classes at gorgeous wine country locations. You can learn about tasting and pairing and how to make photo-worthy arrangements to serve up to guests. The day wraps up with the Cheese Crawl at The Barlow in Sebastopol, which is like a treasure hunt as you explore a 12-acre outdoor market district featuring local food, wine, beer, spirits, and crafts made onsite by Sonoma County artisans.

The fan-favorite is the festival grand finale on Sunday, March 26 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. The Artisan Tasting and Marketplace brings together more than 100 artisan cheese and food producers, winemakers, brewers, distillers, cidermakers, and chefs who offer their hand-crafted products.

California Artisan Cheese Festival
March 24–26, 2023
Sonoma County
Tickets and info here.