Cheese Festival Comes To Atlanta

Gourmet Foods International will host its first one-night cheese festival in Atlanta on Oct. 11. The festival will showcase more than 50 celebrated cheese and artisan food producers from across the globe, according to a press release.

The festivities will kick off with a "grilled cheese meltdown" competition, held at 5.30 p.m. Attendees will have the chance to sample grilled cheese sandwiches and vote for their favorite, and the winner will be crowned "Atlanta's Grilled Cheese Champion."

Cheesemakers participating in the festival include Pretty Perfect Pimento Cheese, Savannah Bee Company, Belle Chèvre, Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery, and many more. VIP ticket-holders are also invited to a beer and cheese pairing, hosted by the Institut du Fromage's lead education trainer, Michael Landis. Live music will be performed by bluegrass and blues groups The Packway Handle Band and Moreland & Arbuckle.

Tickets are now on sale. The $35 general admission ticket gives visitors access to the festival, free cheese samples, and two 10-ounce beers. For those wanting more, the $50 VIP ticket gives additional access to the beer and cheese pairing, and a reusable shopping bag filled with cheese samples and coupons. All proceeds will benefit the Giving Kitchen, an initiative supporting Atlanta's restaurant community by helping industry members impacted by medical or other unexpected hardship.

For more information and tickets visit the Atlanta Cheese Festival webpage.