Tickets are still available for the country's premier cheese event, the 17th Annual California Artisan Cheese Festival, March 24-26, 2023. For the first time since 2019, the Artisan Cheese Festival is back to a three-day, weekend-long event that will take place in and around Sonoma County and beyond. New this year is a Saturday afternoon Cheese Crawl at The Barlow in Sebastopol, and Sunday's Artisan Cheese Tasting and Marketplace is excited to welcome a slew of new participants from wineries and breweries to cheesemakers, olive oil producers, and even coffee roasters. This year there are three farm tours that go beyond the immediate Bay Area, up to Mendocino County, Central Valley and North Sacramento County. And for the first time ever, the Saturday Seminars will all take place at a local winery and include add-on wine perks and the option of lunch.
Tickets for most of the weekend's events are still available, including some of the Friday Farm and Producer Tours; Saturday's hands-on Seminars & Pairing Demos, the Cheese Crawl at The Barlow, and Sunday's grand finale Artisan Cheese Tasting and Marketplace.
Participants in Saturday's Cheese Crawl and Sunday's Marketplace are as follows:
Cheese Crawl at the Barlow
4 to 6 p.m. | Saturday, March 25
The Barlow in Sebastopol
Guests 21 and over only; rain or shine
$25 per person
Cheesemakers, restaurants, breweries and distilleries will come together for this light-hearted yet energetic afternoon of discovery featuring California artisan cheeses paired with different businesses throughout The Barlow. Each stop will host a cheesemaker offering samples to be tasted with their partner food or beverage purveyor including regional artisan wine, cider, spirits and beer. This interactive evening of cheesy nibbles culminates in a raffle where two lucky guests will win tickets to the 2024 Artisan Cheese Tasting and Marketplace. Everyone is encouraged to bring their appetites to this not-to-be-missed event.
Cheesemakers participating in the Cheese Crawl include: Beehive Cheese, Bellweather Farm, Cowgirl Creamery, Cypress Grove, Laura Chenel, Marin French, Nicasio Valley Cheese, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese, Sierra Nevada Cheese, Valley Ford Cheese, and Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers.
Barlow businesses participating in the Cheese Crawl include: Acre Pizza, Blue Ridge Kitchen, Crooked Goat Brewing, Golden State Cider/Seismic Brewing, Il Fusti, Pax Wines, Region, Spirit Works Distillery, The Punchdown, and Woodfour Brewing.
Artisan Cheese Tasting & Marketplace
12 to 4 p.m.?| Sunday, March 26
Grace Pavilion at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds
1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa
The grand finale of the festival, the Marketplace brings together more than 100 artisan producers of the best California cheese, wine, beer, ciders and other specialty foods. Guests are invited to taste, discover and buy new cheeses and the next wave of interesting cheese accompaniments, as well as artisan products that complement cheese. Tickets include admission, live entertainment, an Artisan Cheese Festival insulated cheese tote bag (complete with ice pack to keep your cheese cold) and a festival wine glass.
The Marketplace is rain or shine. $65 for adults or $80 for early entry at 11am. Children's tickets are $30 and are available for ages 2-12 years old. *Strollers are not permitted.
Cheesemakers showcasing their products at the Marketplace include: Achadinha Cheese Company, Beehive Cheese Company, Bellwether Farms, Bohemian Creamery, Cowgirl Creamery, Cypress Grove, Fiscalini Cheese Co., Fresno State Food Science, Laura Chenel, Marin French Cheese Co., Nicasio Valley Cheese Co., Pennyroyal Farm, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Sierra Nevada Cheese Co., Stuyt Dairy, Tomales Farmstead Creamery, Valley Ford Cheese Co., and Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers.
Beverages, including breweries, cideries, coffee companies, wineries and distilleries pouring their products include: Adobe Road Winery, Ampola Creek Vineyards and Winery, Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Black Kite Wines, Bricoleur Vineyards, Bucher Wines, Clif Family Winery, Dutton Estate Winery, Farmers Brewing Co., Golden State Cider, Goldeneye Winery, Gondak Cellars and Little X Little Wines, Gowans Heirloom Cider, g's dry hard ginger beer, Heidrun Meadery, Humboldt Distillery, Jardesca, Kokomo Winery, Longboard Vineyards, Marietta Cellars, New Alchemy Distilling, Paradise Ridge Winery, Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance, Seismic Brewing Company, Sonoma Portworks, Sugarloaf Wine Company, Wolf Coffee Company, and Woodenhead Wine.
Artisan food purveyors and other vendors include: Baci Kitchen, Big House Catering, Big Spoon Sauce Co., Big Sur Salts Company, Black Pig Meat Co., Bryerton's Roasted Almonds, California Artisan Cheese Guild, Carmel Berry Company, Charlotte Truffles, Cheese Trail, Chef Josef's Seasoning Blends, CMAB, Copperfield's Books, Cult Crackers, Daily Driver, Diane's Sweet Heat, Fabula Tea, Farmer's Only Daughter, The Hattery, GMG Woodcrafts, Gold Ridge Organic Farms, Golden State Pickle Works, Humboldt Hot Sauce, Journeyman Meats, Kuttinblox, Little Apple Treats, McEvoy Ranch, Maison Porcella, Mr. M's Woodshop, Nadia's Dessert LLC, Napa Nuts, O Olive Oil, Qualtech, R&J Toffees, Sola Bee Farms, Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, Sonoma County Tourism, Sonoma Spice Queen, Sonoma Syrup Co., Small Batch Jam Co., St. Benoit, Stella's Table, Tea & Trumpet, Volo Chocolate, and West Coast Vibez - Resin Designs, Wolf Coffee Co.
Note: More participants will be added as the event draws closer. New purveyors to this year's Marketplace are referenced in bold font.
Other 2023 California Artisan Cheese Festival events include:
Friday's Producer & Farm Tours
Various Locations around Marin and Sonoma Counties and beyond!
These fan-favorite intimate tours to various farms, creameries and artisan producers are some of the most popular events of the weekend, giving visitors a glimpse into the important role of the farmer and where cheese gets it start. Guests will be guided on behind-the-scenes walking tours where they can learn how cheese and other artisan products are made, meet the producers, farmers, animals and cheesemakers behind their favorite local products and, of course, taste the fruits of their labor.
*Please Note: there will be three tours beyond the Bay Area offered - one to the North Valley, one to the Central Valley, and one to Mendocino County. Please check the information specific to each tour for start and end time, parking information and the location of bus departure.
**Specific details and tickets for the Producer & Farm Tours and locations may be found at
https://www.artisancheesefestival.com/tours-2023
Saturday's Seminars and Pairing Demos
11 to 12:15a.m. and 1 to 2:15 p.m.?
Various wineries around Santa Rosa and Windsor
Through a variety of interactive seminars and demos, cheese lovers have the opportunity to learn from some of the industry's most knowledgeable experts, chefs and cheesemakers. Seminars will touch on topics ranging from cheese and wine pairings to building cheese and charcuterie cones and tasting cheese with chocolates. Each seminar location also features a special add on for guests who want to stay a little longer and enjoy the wines or participate in other tasting experiences.
**Full lineup of seminars and pairing demos may be found at
https://www.artisancheesefestival.com/seminars
California Artisan Cheese Week
March 18 - 26, 2023
Various locations throughout Northern California
In the week leading up to the California Artisan Cheese Festival, cheese aficionados can expect to find special cheese-focused dishes and menus at some of their favorite local restaurants, tasting rooms, and businesses around the state for the second annual California Artisan Cheese Week. These businesses will be showing support for their favorite cheesemakers, and guests will have the opportunity to enjoy cheesy classics and discover new artisan cheeses in creative dishes, impressive cheese plates, special discounts, unique pairings and more.
Participating Artisan Cheese Week restaurants and tasting rooms include: Big John's Market, Bird & the Bottle, Bravas, Farmers Brewing Co., Goldeneye Winery, Gravenstein Grill, Jessup Cellars Tasting Gallery, Korbel Market & Delicatessen, Lady & Larder, Longboard Vineyards LLC, Marin French Cheese Co., Monti's, Oliver's Markets, Penngrove Market, Petaluma Market, Salt & Stone, Sonoma Portworks, The Gables Wine Country Inn, Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery, Vintners Resort, Wilibees Wines & Spirits, Wm. Cofield Cheesemakers, Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar, and Willi's Wine Bar.
For more updates and details and to purchase tickets to the California Artisan Cheese Festival visit, http://www.artisancheesefestival.com/.