Oregon Cheese Festival

Say “cheese” and mean it at this year’s Oregon Cheese Festival at Rogue Creamery in Central Point on March 19.

Thousands of visitors will sample cow, sheep and goat cheese from Oregon creameries, including Fraga Farm, Juniper Grove Farm, Pholia Farm, Tumalo Farms, Tillamook County Creamery, Willamette Valley Cheese Co., Fern’s Edge Dairy, Rivers Edge Chèvre, Ancient Heritage Dairy, Fairview Farm Goat Dairy, Goldin Artisan Goat Cheese, Briar Rose Creamery, Mossy Oak Creamery, Rogue Creamery and more.

Other culinary artisans include Lillie Belle Farms, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Gary West Meats, Rising Sun Farms, Applegate Valley Artisan Breads, Butte Creek Mill, Pennington Farms, Slagle Creek Vineyards, Paschal Winery, Madrone Mountain Vineyard, EdenVale Winery, Valley View Winery, Agate Ridge Vineyard, Daisy Creek Vineyard, Wandering Aengus Ciderworks, Deux Chats Bakery, Dry Soda, Cascade Peak Spirits and Rogue Ales.

To begin the festival, a multi-course meal introducing guests to participating artisans will be held at the historic Ashland Springs Hotel in Ashland, March 18. Prepared by the hotel’s executive chefs, David Georgeson and Kate Cyr, the dinner’s proceeds will benefit the Oregon Cheese Guild.

The Oregon Cheese Festival will be open to the public March 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rogue Creamery, 311 N. Front St., Central Point.

Tickets are $15 and include tastings and demonstrations; a $5 wine tasting fee includes a wine glass. Tickets to the dinner are $85 and available by calling 866-396-4704. For more information, visit www.roguecreamery.com.