SW FL's Largest Cheese Tasting Fest to be Held at Sarasota Farmers Market, Feb. 11
Saturday, Feb. 11th. The festival will feature over 50 artisan cheese's from the Greenleaf Cheese Collection, making it the largest annual cheese tasting event in Southwest Florida. The event is open to the public and will run at the south end of the Sarasota Farmers Market from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Beyond cheese, the festival will have cooking demonstrations from five local restaurants, and live music from local artists.
The Big Cheese Event, founded by Karl Nelson – owner of Sarasota-based Greenleaf Cheese, and a vendor at the Market – was created to bring a unique, special event to Southwest Florida. The one-day special event has drawn and catered to thousands of Farmers Market customers during its previous three years, and this year's event may bring record crowds to the downtown Market.
"Every day at my business I would have people asking about the differences between the cheese's created in Europe, the United States, and in particular Wisconsin" Nelson said. "Being a Wisconsin native, I saw the need to inform people on a larger scale and the Farmers Market offers a great venue to do that."
For the third consecutive year the Big Cheese Event and the Sarasota Farmers Market will partner with local charity Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy (SMART).
"The Big Cheese Event is working with SMART again this year," Nelson said, "to enrich the lives of children with special needs in Sarasota an Manatee county's through the riding therapy offered by their organization.
While the festival is a free event, donations will be accepted to aid SMART's efforts."
- Local restaurants offering cooking demonstrations at the Big Cheese Event are Mattison's, Libby's Cafe, Star Keeper's Cafe, Euphemia Haye, and State Street Eating House.
- The Southwest Florida-based Dakota Rose Band will play throughout the day. The band describes their sound as an eclectic mixture of; country, soul, R&B, oldies and doo wop, and Southern classic rock.
- Big Cheese Event founder Karl Nelson is a Wisconsin native. His business (Greenleaf Cheese) is located in Sarasota. http://greenleafcheese.com/
- SMART provides programs that enhances and improves the quality of the lives of children with disabilities in our community. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential.
.png)
