Last year I was thrilled to attend the 3rd Annual Artisan Cheese Festival! I waited patiently for the time when I could buy my tickets for the 4th Annual Artisan Cheese Festival. My stomach growls and tugs with yearning for March 26 – 29, 2010, it just can’t come fast enough! California’s Artisan Cheese Festival is a nonprofit organization that celebrates and educates others on artisan cheese. This year the festival will follow its tradition of donating 10% of ticket sales to; Sonoma Land Trust, Marin Agricultural Land Trust, Petaluma Future Farmers of America, California Artisan Cheese Guild, and Redwood Empire Food Bank. This weekend long celebration invites you to learn from cheese experts, makers, and chefs from across the U.S. including local experts Mary Karlin from Ramekins Cooking School, Andy Wild from CIA Greystone in Napa, and John Ash of John Ash & Company. Some of the daily seminars are sold out as are the local creamery tours on Friday, but due to the abundance of seminars being offered there is still space available in the Saturday and Sunday seminars. Click here to view the complete schedule of seminars.

The highlight of Friday evening is the first Barn Dance and Cheesemaker Dinner at Green String Farm. Visit Green String Farm in your own car or use the complimentary shuttle service provided by Pure Luxury from the Sheraton in Petaluma. Click here for details and to purchase your tickets. Saturday evening concludes with an event featuring 8 chefs, 8 cheesemakers, and 8 vintners. Click here to make sure you reserve your spot before this evening event sells out. Sundays special Artisan Cheese Marketplace is every artisan cheese, wine, beer, and food lover’s dream come true! Sample and purchase delectable items from 60 artisan cheesemakers, vintners, brewers and artisan food suppliers including local favorites Bellwether Farms and Redwood Hill Farm, B.R. Cohn Olive Oil & Vinegar and Della Fattoria, and Lambert Bridge, Montemaggiore, and Paradise Ridge. See you there!