Festival · Black Mountain
Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival
The Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival is the yearly fundraiser of the WNC Cheese Trail, held in October at Oak and Grist Distilling Company, 1556 Grovestone Road in Black Mountain. The 2026 festival was on Sunday 11 October. Tickets go on sale online in mid-August. The 2027 date has not been announced.
- When
- October
- Where
- Oak and Grist Distilling, Black Mountain
- 2026
- Sunday 11 October
- Tickets
- Online from mid-August
Dates
The next dates have not been announced yet. It last ran 11 Oct 2026.
Who Comes
Most of the mountain cheesemakers take a stand. The 2026 vendor list included Looking Glass Creamery, Blue Goat Dairy, Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery, Spinning Spider Creamery, Round Mountain Creamery, Three Sisters Cheese, Boxcarr Cheese, French Broad Creamery and White Tree Farm. Alongside them were Ali Rae's Pimento Cheese, Roots and Branches Crackers, High Top Bread Co., Dare Vegan Cheese, Marked Tree Vineyard, Barn Door Ciderworks, Black Mountain Cider and Mead and the host distillery.
It is a rare chance to taste cheese from farms that only open by appointment, all in one afternoon.
Tickets
In 2026 tickets went on sale online on 15 August at noon. When online sales closed, some tickets were sold in person on the day. The festival does not publish prices in advance of the sale, so check the festival website in August.
Getting There
Black Mountain is about 25 minutes east of Asheville on Interstate 40. Mountain weather can change plans: in 2026 heavy rain pushed the start back to 12:30pm, and ticket holders were emailed, so watch the festival's social media on the morning.
Nearby
Round Mountain Creamery is on Old Fort Road just outside Black Mountain and runs booked tours. For the rest of the trail, see the WNC Cheese Trail.
Where to Stay near Black Mountain
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More in North Carolina
All of North Carolina
WNC Cheese Trail
Asheville area, North Carolina
A map of mountain cheesemakers, cideries and shops around Asheville.
Looking Glass Creamery
Columbus, North Carolina
Farm café, cellar windows and free samples, Wednesday to Sunday.
Round Mountain Creamery
Black Mountain, North Carolina
Hour-long goat dairy tours with a tasting, $20, by appointment.
Questions People Ask
When is the Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival?
Each October. The 2026 festival was on Sunday 11 October at Oak and Grist Distilling in Black Mountain. The 2027 date has not been announced.
Where do you buy Carolina Mountain Cheese Festival tickets?
On the festival website. In 2026 sales opened on 15 August at noon.
Official site: mountaincheesefest.com/. Dates, hours and prices checked 22 October 2026; confirm on the official site before you travel. See all cheese festivals.