The Cheese and Meat Festival is coming up fast!
On Saturday, September 10th, ticketholders will wander the grounds of the Car Shop at Bayview Place—Victoria’s picturesque former train roundhouse, snacking on local cheese and charcuterie paired with wine, beer, cider, and spirits.
The notoriously sold out festival still has tickets available so don’t wait to long to jump on those.
If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, here are the top five reasons why attendees love the festival, and why you will too:
Your ticket is all-inclusive
That’s right; you will be able to try over 35 vendors sampling over 90 different products. There are no extra costs or tokens for purchase at the Cheese and Meat Festival.
Buy a ticket and snack and sip to your heart’s content!
Be a VIP and buy a Super Pass to get access to both tastings as well as seats in the seminars Hop[s] Into The Charcuterie World and Find Your Cheese Spirit.
You can shop on the spot
Have you ever been lost by the sheer selection of products at a grocery store or small cheese shop?
This is what the Cheese and Meat Festival looks to solve.
It’s a one stop shop where you can explore and taste all the products you’ve always wondered about while learning about the products directly from the producer.
The festival also boasts a pop-up shop where ticket holders can buy the products they fell in love with at the festival at discounted prices.
Vendors galore
This year attendees can expect over 35 one-of-a-kinds, local, artisanal vendors.
Each vendor gives you a reason to learn about and engage in their handmade craft. Discover cheese you have never heard of, cured meats you never thought could be cured, and taste recipes handed down from generation to generation.
Bonus: experience live demos on cheese making while learning how each vendor refines their craft.
The first wave of vendors include: Bon Macaron Patisserie, Victoria Olive Oil Co,Hippies Snack, Haus Sausage Company, Salt Spring Island Cheese, Smak Dab Mustard, Grimms Food, Spread ‘Em Kitchen, Quesava, Sheringham Distillery, Saunders Family Farm, Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse, Kithkin Charcuterie, Apero Bistro, Yeshi Dressing, Esquimalt Wine, Holy Homous, Farming Karma, and BeauTea Flourish!
It’s all about sharing
When you arrive at the festival you are given your own Charcuterie board and a wine glass.
The event producers then layout the vendors based on what pairs well together. The idea is to get you to share what you have tasted and how it pairs well with other vendors.
Every time you go to a Cheese and Meat Festival you support the buy local movement by allowing the vendors to tell you about their products. You gain the knowledge to learn more and dive deeper into what makes our local market so amazing.
Experience multiple vendors under one roof
Who has the time to drive around town learning about each specialty shop?
The festival is the ideal place to find and try many of the local mom and pop shops Vancouver Island is home to, all in one spot.
Attendees new to cheese and charcuterie can try products and talk to shop vendors without the pressure that comes with ordering unfamiliar items at the deli counter or visiting countless shops before finding their favourite products.
Kick off the summer on the right note. Be the host that showcases the unknown, tells the story of how it’s made, and explains what pairs with it. Or just be the guest everyone wants to invite back…
Click here to visit the Cheese and Meat Festival website for more information.
Hate searching online for updates? Want to get your hands on sold out tickets, or grab them before they go on sale? Sign up to the Cheese and Meat Festival’s newsletter.
Cheese and Meat Festival
- When: Saturday, September 10th
- Where: The Car Shop at Bayview Place
- Lunch Tasting: 11:00pm – 1:00pm
- Afternoon Tasting 3:00pm–5:00pm
- Evening Tasting 7:00pm – 9:00pm
- Tickets: Starting at $85 – Purchase online
