Cheese will take center stage in Pittsfield on Sunday, Sept. 13, when the Maine Cheese Festival returns for its 10th anniversary, featuring more than 45 vendors, farmers, cheesemakers and small businesses that power Maine’s artisan food scene.
The festival, which will be located in Mason Park, is hosted by the Maine Cheese Guild. The event will feature Maine-made cheeses, speciality foods, craft beverages, live music, cheesemaking demonstrations and opportunities to meet the people who make the delicacies.
“There’s something special about being able to meet the people who make the food you love and hear the stories behind their products,” said Christine Cummings, executive director of the Maine Cheese Guild. “Our 10th anniversary is a chance to celebrate how much Maine’s artisan food community has grown and to invite even more people from across New England to experience it for themselves.”
Personal connections
Kate Turcotte, owner and cheesemaker at Haymay Creamery & Cheese Shop in Farmington and a Maine Cheese Guild member, said the festival offers small cheesemakers a rare opportunity to put a personal connection behind the products they sell.
“People can taste the cheese, ask how it’s made, and learn where the milk comes from,” said Turcotte. “Those conversations matter — they connect people directly to Maine farms, small businesses and the communities that make local food possible.”
The festival’s VIP experience begins at 11 a.m., while general admission begins at noon.
About the organization
The Maine Cheese Festival is organized by the Maine Cheese Guild, a nonprofit that supports Maine cheesemakers through education, advocacy, business development and community building programs.
The guild represents cheesemakers, dairy farmers and industry partners across the state and promotes the continued growth of Maine’s artisan cheese community. The group comprises more than 30 licensed cheesemakers, and the state boasts more than 70 producers.
