Huntsville Downtown Cheese Festival Art

The new Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival will debut 3 - 7 p.m. June 7 in the Roundhouse at the Huntsville Depot Museum. (Image courtesy of Christina Wegman)

Think of it as a 7,500-square-foot cheese plate.

The new Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival will debut 3 - 7 p.m. June 7 in the Roundhouse at the Huntsville Depot Museum, and creator Carrie Coan says the event grew out of her experience at local farmers markets, including the Madison City Farmers Market and Greene Street Market.

"I've gotten to know a lot of the local dairy farmers, like Day Spring Dairy and Humble Heart," Coan says. Her downtown restaurant, catering and take-out foods spot Carrie's Kitchen grew out of a well-received farmers market venture of the same name, selling items including The Famous Green Chili Cheese.

"Once I started the farmers markets," Coan continues, "I played around with a lot of their cheeses and just developed a real interest to what they do and what they bring to us locally. And being a cheese lover I just found it hard to believe Huntsville didn't have a cheese festival yet."

Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival tickets are now available online via huntsvillecheesefestival.com. "General Cheese" tickets ($20, $15 until May 1) include cheese samples, wine and craft beer tastings and stage demonstrations. "The Big Cheese" level features all "General Cheese" benefits plus access to a VIP Room with additional seating, "private nibblers table," cold bottled waters, "beat the crowd" private craft beer and wine cash bar and a high end wine and cheese paring.

All net ticket proceeds will benefit 305 8th Street, a Huntsville non-profit organization providing a group home for disabled adults. The Roundhouse at the Huntsville Depot Museum is located at 404 Madison St. S.E.

Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival participating dairy farms include: 4 Maz Farms, Alabama's Organic Dairy Products/Working Cows Dairy, Day Spring Dairy, Humbles Hearts Farm and Wrights Dairy Farm.

"I wanted it to be a celebration of not just our local cheese but things that will compliment cheese," Coan says. Her personal go-to cheeses include aged cheddar, sheep's milk cheese and manchego. "FredBread does several delicious cheese breads and then we've got lots of jelly and jam people. Our local honey vendors and producers. Honey is always welcome on a cheese plate."

This sizable list includes vendors such as Six Chicks and a Jbird, Happy Hens, Three Girls and A Hive Honey Farm, Blanks Berry Farms, Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival Carrie's Kitchen, Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizza, FredBread, Piper & Leaf Artisan Tea Co., 1818 Farms , Layers Desserts, Taco Mama , Rocket Dogs , Blue Pant Brewery, Yellowhammer Brewing, Straight To Ale, Old Town Beer Exchange OTBX, Church Street Wine Shoppe, Suzy Pops, All You Need Is This Bread Board and Madison City Farmers Market.

According to a press release Downtown Huntsville Cheese Festival is being presented with support from Downtown Huntsville Inc., Clinton Row, Allison Wellness Center, Furniture Factory Bar and Grill and Free The Hops.