UPDATE: As of August 31, the festival is sold out.

It’s the third annual Curds & Crafts Festival. We’re celebrating southern artisan cheesemakers and North Carolina craft brewers with the natural and delicious pairing of cheeses and beers. Sample the wares and chat with cheesemakers and brewers about their craft. Tickets include unlimited samples of beer and cheese and take-home goodies to be announced. There will be live music by the Ivory Boys. Photos from last year’s event can be seen here.

The event is at the Cloth Mill at Eno River, a unique “industrial chic” setting located in the historic Eno River Mill campus in West Hillsborough. It is an indoor venue with climate control and electricity. The space is truly beautiful with its exposed brick walls, massive windows, high ceilings, and original wood beams and columns. The address is 437 Dimmocks Mill Road (Suite 3) in Hillsborough. View a parking map here.

There will be two sessions this year:

Session 1: 1 PM – 3 PM (arrive at 12:45 to begin check-in)
Session 2: 4 PM – 6 PM (arrive at 3:45 to begin check-in)

In the past, tickets have sold out. Note: ticket buyers must bring a valid ID to enter the festival.

Proceeds benefit RAFI USA! “This small group has had far reaching impacts… writing the legislation for the National Organic Program… saving hundreds of family farms from foreclosure… preserving the rights of farmers to save seed and develop new varieties, advocating for farm worker’s rights and more.” – Alex Hitt

Cheesemakers:

• Goat Lady Dairy, Climax, NC
• Piemonte Farm, Greensboro, NC
• Boxcarr Handmade Cheese, Cedar Grove, NC
• Celebrity Dairy, Siler City, NC
• Prodigal Farm, Rougemont, NC
• Paradox Farm & Creamery, West End, NC
• Fading D Farm, Salisbury, NC
• Buffalo Creek Farm & Creamery, Germanton, NC
• Cabot Creamery, Cabot, VT
• Chapel Hill Creamery, Chapel Hill, NC
• Firefly, Accident, MD
• Sequatchie Cove Creamery, Sequatchie, TN
• Sweet Grass Dairy, Thomasville, GA
• Looking Glass Creamery, Fairview, NC
• English Farmstead, Marion, NC
• Meadow Creek Dairy, Galax, VA

Breweries:

• Trophy Brewing, Raleigh, NC
• Highland Brewing, Asheville, NC
• Fullsteam Brewery, Durham, NC
• Foothills Brewery, Winston Salem, NC
• Mystery Brewing, Hillsborough, NC
• Steel String Brewery, Carrboro, NC
• Lonerider Brewing Co., Raleigh, NC
• Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC
• Ponysaurus Brewing Co., Durham, NC
• Mother Earth Brewing, Kinston, NC
• Brewery Bhavana, Raleigh, NC

Additional local artisans:

• Big Spoon Roasters, Durham, NC
• Fiddlehead Farm, Pittsboro, NC
• Roots & Branches, Swannanoa, NC
• Accidental Baker, Hillsborough, NC
• Two Chicks Farm, Hillsborough, NC
• Cottage Lane Kitchen, Chapel Hill, NC
• Lady Edison Fancy Hams, Chapel Hill, NC
• Weaver Street Market Bakery, Hillsborough, NC
• Kyookz Pickles, Hillsborough, NC
• Lusty Monk Mustard, Candler, NC