Arguably an alternative form of therapy, cheese has been considered a diet staple for centuries in cuisines worldwide, whether it composes the whole of the dish or is sprinkled on like a long-lost friend. Cheese is for anyone and everyone – even for those who are lactose intolerant and brave enough to weather the storm in their stomachs.
However, you may or may not take your cheese, Drink Denver is bringing the Mile High Grilled Cheese & Mac Festival to Larimer’s Tivoli Quad for the first time on Saturday, October 21. Inspired by a love of cheese, the festival offers a glimpse into “how our local chefs can put their own unique spin on a food that might be normally considered boring or simple,” said Lacey Spruce, a representative of Drink Denver.
Formally named the Mac and Cheese Festival, the Mile High Grilled Cheese & Mac Festival offers festival-goers an even broader menu of cheesy goodness, with each vendor curating their own variation of the beloved food. Drink Denver hopes festival goers will get a chance to “try something they’ve never had before since you get to experience a lot of creativity in one place and get to know chefs and restaurants you may have not otherwise discovered on your own,” described Spruce.
Festival goers will experience the mac dip from Sam’s No. 3, award-winning grilled cheese from I Heart Mac and Cheese and even vegan mac and cheese from chef Angela Wells of The Cake Bar. Other partners that will be serving up delicious dishes include The Waffle Lab, Heritage Food Incubator, Sugarfire Smokehouse, Seasoned Swine BBQ, Bandwagon Sandwich Co, Urban Delight Catering and Cuisine and Oscar’s Eats at Leevers Locavore.
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The 21+ only event will not only feature cheesy bites but will have a variety of locally brewed beer and cocktails to sip on from Bierstadt Lagerhaus, 477 Distilling, Big Beaver Brewing Co, Black Shirt Brewing, Lee Spirits Company and Spirit Hound Distillers, to name a few.
Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in events, watch live entertainment, and vote on their favorite dish. Tickets are available for purchase on its website. GA and VIP packages are available for purchase but are selling out quickly, so forget about the stomach ache and listen to your heart.
The Mile High Grilled Cheese & Mac Festival is on October 21, 2023, from 12:30-4:30 in Tivoli Quad, 1000 Larimer St., Denver. For more information or to buy tickets, visit its website here.