The 42nd Annual Cheese and Wine Exposition will be held this weekend on Oct. 13 and 14, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sunday. Admission to the festival is free and there is something for everyone to enjoy like live entertainment on the stages, the Family Fun Zone with an assortment of rides and activities, over 100 vendors consisting of arts, crafts and food and of course tastings of craft beer, cheese, and wine.
Wine tasting will be held again this year at the Antigua Event Center on Santa Fe Street and Second Street and doors open at 1 p.m. each day. Some of the wineries that guests can taste are Blanc de Bleu Winery, Oak Ridge Winery, Classic Wines and Ava Grace Vineyards. New this year Save Mart will be offering a variety of edible items for the wine tasting participants. There will also be some cheese fondue, Sciabica olive oil to taste, Murphy’s Mustard Co., Sahale Nuts, Burnt Artisan Bread, Allison’s Brittle, as well as some cheeses like Oakdale Cheese, Pacific Gold Creamery and Tres Bien Creamery.
Craft beer returns to the Expo giving guests a few other options to taste like Lagunitas Brewing Company, Saint Archer Brewing Company, and Indigeny Reserve.
Wine tasting tickets are available for $20 in advance or $30 at the door.
With over 100 vendors there are some guest favorites that will return this year like Lockeford Sausage, Taco Fiesta and Catering, Koko’s Teriyaki, as well as some new food options like Ragin’ Cajun Kitchen, Rand D’s BBQ, and Chicken and the Farm. For some cold treats, families will find vendors like Bizuri Ice Cream, Hillbilly Tea, Kona Ice, and Volcano Splash Drinks.
For more information, visit www.riverbankcheeseandwine.org.
Even before the Expo itself kicks off in the downtown area, runners will toe the line for the annual Run for the Cheese event, with the traditional 5k walk and run and the 10k run leaving at 8 a.m. from Galaxy Theatres. At 9:30 a.m., a youth one-mile run for those under 18 is scheduled and at 9:45 a.m., a free kids 300 meter run is offered from those ages seven and younger. Race Day registration is available starting at 6:15 a.m. and ends promptly at 7:50 a.m.
ShadowChase Running Club hosts the event; you can also register online at www.active.com.
