The best of the bunch: Cider and mead festival at the Orcas Farmers’ Market on May 14

Array

May 11, 2011 4:34 pm
The companies represented include Finnriver
The companies represented include Finnriver

by MADIE MURRAY

Special to the Sounder

Up to 10 Northwest hard cider and mead (honey wine) producers will be gathering together at the first Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival.

The companies represented include Finnriver, Westcott Bay, Red Barn, Sky River, Alpenfire, Adytum, Crispin and Tieton Cider Works.

“Cider is where wine was 10 years ago,” say organizers. “These guys are hungry and trying to make a name for Washington cider … cider is an under-represented target in retail and the products are awesome.”

Islanders who make their own brews can bring in their creations to be judged by the professionals and crowned “Island Best of the Fest,” perhaps the first of its kind.

The festival is being held at the Orcas Farmer’s Market on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be under a large tent near the Village Green stage.

Island musicians Bruce Harvey and the Calvados Brothers, Gene Nery and Martin Lund, and “This is Lizzard” with Lizanne Hennessey and Roland Stolk will be entertaining the throng all day long.

Anyone over 21 will be able to taste the ciders and meads for a $5 to $15 admission fee, benefiting the Farm to Cafeteria Program.

Event coordinators are hoping to make this an annual event to correspond with the launch of the farmer’s market. If it’s successful, it will happen again at the end of the market season to coincide with Oktoberfest.

During the week before the event, the cider and mead makers will have food pairings and products featured at Allium and Ship Bay. The Lower Tavern will be featuring a producer or two on their wine list, and The Kitchen will be cooking up a lunch on the Friday before, using ciders in several of its dishes.

Sponsors of the event are Ray’s Pharmacy, Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce, Permit Resources, The Nest, San Juan Insurance, Crow Valley Pottery, Bay Head Marina, The Gudgell Group, Allium, Inn at Ship Bay, Chimayo’s, The Kitchen,  and The Lower Tavern.

Updates will be posted on the Farm to Cafeteria web site at www.orcasislandf2c.org as the event continues to develop.