Each year, visitors and locals alike flock to Northern California for one common passion: cheese tasting in Sonoma. The California Artisan Cheese Festival seeks to spread awareness of artisan cheese through several hands-on activities. One of the artisan cheese festival’s biggest draws is experts’ presentations on the art of artisan cheese. These craftsmen travel from around the world, so we’re confident you’ll have a firm understanding of artisan cheese versus non-artisan cheese by the end of the festival. What better way to kick off the new year than cheese tasting in Sonoma?

Artisan Cheese Festival’s Events

Scheduled events may change from year to year. However, our team here at El Dorado Hotel always looks forward to the following activities. 

Farm and Producer Tours

Have an up-close and personal look at some of Northern California’s most successful farms. The farmers will give presentations on how to produce cheese and other artisanal products. There’s an opportunity at the end of the tour to purchase the products you enjoyed. 

Cheese, Bites, and Booze

Cheese, Bites, and Booze… oh my! This triple threat is the Artisan Cheese Festival’s version of Saturday Night Live. Visitors will watch numerous chefs, cheesemakers, and cheesemongers, fight to create the best cheese. As an audience member, your role is to taste each cheese and select your favorite entry. Your admission fee includes samples of artisan wine, ciders, beers, and spirits.

Bubbles and Brunch

Your artisan cheese festival experience is simply not complete without a tasty brunch in Sonoma! Luckily, this event serves guests only the finest breakfast prepared live by an honorable celebrity chef, such as 2020 representative Chef Tracey Shepos Cemani (head chef of Le Crema Winery). During her live cooking show, Clark Wolf provided entertainment for guests.  

Sonoma Festival’s Beneficiaries 

The California Artisan Cheese Festival is a non-profit organization and donates 10 percent of its ticket sales to help continue artisans’ craft. One area of funding is dedicated to conserving and protecting the land that artisans use to produce cheese, which also includes their farm animals. Another area of the festival’s funding is dedicated to educating our younger generation of future artisan cheesemakers. To date, the Sonoma festival has raised over $135,000 for foundations such as Petaluma Future Farmers of America and Sonoma Land Trust

El Dorado Hotel

While cheese tasting in Sonoma is enjoyable, our El Dorado team believes you’ll find our luxurious amenities to be equally as satisfying. Our downtown Sonoma hotel is located just steps away from the top eateries, galleries, shops, and wineries. However, guests can also find entertainment onsite with amenities, such as farm to table dining options, solar-heated saltwater pool, and complimentary bikes. To begin planning your long-awaited Sonoma getaway, please call our staff today at 707-996-3030.