CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — Now in its 16th year, the Oregon Cheese Festival at famed Rogue Creamery is a farmer’s market style event celebrating cheese and everything that goes with it.

Over the years it has grown into one of the largest cheese-themed festivals in the country – drawing artisan cheesemakers, vintners, brewers, and specialty food producers to showcase their products to an ever-growing crowd of cheese enthusiasts.

The event is now scheduled for June 20-21 on Front Street (Highway 99) in Central Point. Last year’s Cheese Festival expanded from its traditional location at Rogue Creamery to also include the newly remodeled CraterWorks MakerSpace, allowing for more attendees and vendors.

By popular demand, this year’s festival footprint will expand yet again. Vehicle traffic will be diverted to flow both directions on the northbound lanes of Front St., and tents will be set up in the southbound lanes, creating what headline sponsor Rogue Creamery has dubbed, “The Cheesiest Block Party of the Year.”

Thousands will flock to Central Point for the Oregon Cheese Festival to sample artisan cheeses from across the state and beyond, including cheese by these producers:

Beehive Cheese Co.
Briar Rose Creamery
By George Farm
Crushpad Creamery
Cypress Grove
Don Froylan Creamery
Face Rock Creamery
Fern’s Edge Goat Dairy
Firefly Farms
Nicolau Farms
Oak Leaf Creamery
Pascal Affinage
Pedrozo Dairy
Portland Creamery
Rogue Creamery
Rumiano Cheese Co.
Spring Brook Farm Cheese
Tillamook
Umapine Creamery
Willamette Valley Cheese Co.

Alongside these cheeses, festivalgoers will sample specialty foods such as charcuterie, jams & jellies, olive oil, honey, chocolate, breads & crackers, pickled vegetables, nuts, and more. To wash it all down, more than 30 craft wine, beer, cider, and spirits producers will be pouring libations for the crowd. In total there will be more than 120 culinary artisans & beverage providers from Oregon, Washington, and beyond. For a full list of vendors, see the website.

Beer, wine, cider and spirits
4 Spirits Distillery
Alesong Brewing
Anthem Cider
Bandon Rain Cider
Bendistillery/Crater Lake Spirits
Blossom Barn Cidery
Bluebird Hill Cellars
Catman Cellars
Crescendo Spirits
Deluxe Brewing/Sinister Distilling
Divine Distillery
FENCES Winery
Heritage Distilling
Hummingbird Estate
Noble Estate Winery
Oran Mor Mead
Portal Brewing
Rogue Ales
Schmidt Family Vineyards
Spiritopia
Steamworks Meadery
Straightaway
Troon Vineyard
Two Rivers Vineyard
Stoneriver Vineyards
Vivacity Fine Spirits
Weekend Beer Company
Whitetail Ridge Vineyard
Wild River Medford LLC
Wild Roots Spirits
Wooldridge Creek Winery

Tickets purchased in advance are $15 and include tastings and demonstrations; day-of ticket purchases are $20. Kids 12 and under taste for free. An optional $15 adult beverage tasting add-on is available to those 21+ and includes a commemorative tasting glass.

Attendees eager to beat the crowds can pre-purchase Early VIP Entry (10 a.m.) for an additional $15; this includes a goodie bag. Tickets are available for sale at www.oregonchesefestival.com.