Cheese Festival is Saturday in Odessa

ODESSA--The Finger Lakes Cheese Festival is slated for Saturday, July 28 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sunset View Creamery in Odessa. Sunset View is a founding member of the Finger Lakes Cheese Alliance, which puts on this annual family-focused event. There are many new additions to this year's festival.
Featuring 70 vendors, the event includes a full farmers market and features the creameries of the Finger Lakes Cheese Alliance sampling their cheeses as well as many local food and farm vendors. Finger Lakes beer, wine and cider producers will be offering samples at the event, and the cheese and beverage pairing seminars have been expanded to 120 seats each.
There will be music all day, and new this year, the music will be playing on two stages. There will also be self-guided farm tours and hayrides for all to enjoy, and a guided milking parlor tour which will run four times during the event.
In addition to all the activities, there will be plenty to eat, sample and buy. Food vendors to suit every palate will be at the festival, and 12 beer, wine and cider producers will be sampling and selling products.
Attendees can enjoy the Pairing Seminars beginning at 10:30 a.m. These seminars will be led by Heather O'Grady-Evans and will pair alliance cheeses with wines, beers and ciders of the associate members of the alliance. There is a $2 fee per seminar per person. The Cooking with Cheese Seminars will feature local chef Brud Holland.
"There will be something for everyone," explains Carmella Hoffman, owner of Sunset View Creamery and member of the festival's planning committee. "Think of it as a huge summer family barbecue and farmers market all wrapped up into one."
Attendees are encouraged to bring a cooler in which to keep their purchases. Discounted tickets are available before the festival at Eventbrite.com. Tickets are available at the gate on the day of the event for $10 for adults 21 and over, $8 for attendees under 21. Kids 12 and under are free.
A full schedule of events and vendors is available on the cheese festival website, www.flxcheese.com.