For any cheese fans in the Pacific Northwest, don’t forget the 7th Annual Oregon Cheese Festival will be held this Saturday March 19th, 2011 at Rogue Creamery, Central Point, Oregon.

I was just talking with Tami Parr, one of the Festival’s organizers and here is what she says:

“This year's festival promises to be bigger and better than ever - literally! A bigger tent, more vendors and cheese celebrities will be on hand to ring in the seventh year of this festival celebrating all things Oregon cheese.

In attendance will be Oregon cheesemakers from Willamette Valley Cheese Co., Pholia Farm, Tumalo Farms, Rogue Creamery and many more, all sampling and selling their handmade cheeses. The farmer's market style event will also host local purveyors of all sorts of delectable treats including wine, beer, breads and chocolate. The fun, informal setting encourages attendees to meet the people who make the cheeses they've come to love.

In addition to the celebration, the Festival is hosting two special guests this year: Janet Fletcher, San Francisco Chronicle Columnist and author of Cheese and WIne: A Guide to Selecting, Pairing and Enjoying will be on hand sigining books and teaching two seminars on pariing Oregon wines and cheeses; and Laura Werlin, cheese maven and author of the new book Great Grilled Cheese, who will also be singing books as well as hosting a class titled "How to Make the Perfect Grilled Cheese."

Admission to the Festival is $15, with an additional $5 for wine pairings . Seminars are $25 (sign up early - seating is limited). The first 100 people to arrive at the festival will get to feast on delectable breakfast treats presented by three local bed & breakfast outfits in the area.”

For more details, including directions to the festival, see the Rogue Creamery website here: http://www.roguecreamery.com/