Mould: A Cheese Festival

Overview

You can never have too many occasions to eat cheese, but this Melbourne cheese festival isn't just keen to shower cheese fiends with creamy goodness. A collaboration between Bruny Island Cheese Co. cheesemaker Nick Haddow and the organisers of Pinot Palooza, Mould wants dairy lovers to explore and devour the mild, hard and soft bites that Australia's best cheese wizards have to offer.

Returning for a second year, the festival will paint North Melbourne's Meat Market yellow on Friday, May 4 and Saturday, May 5. Alongside unlimited tastings of Australia's best cheeses — there will be over 80 types from the likes of Bruny Island, Yarra Valley Dairy, Stone & Crowe — it'll feature flavoursome fare from toastie masters Maker & Monger, Burn City Smokers and more. Think of it as a cheese tasting trip around Australia without leaving Blackwood Street.

Of course, snacking on samples and purchasing slices and slabs to take home with you are just two ways to enjoy cheese. The fest will have cooking demonstrations, masterclasses and talks so you can stretch your cheese knowledge as well as your cheese stomach. And it wouldn't be a cheese festival without beverages to wash it all down with, so expect a bar serving Aussie wines, whisky, beer and sake — all of which match nicely to a bit of cheese.

There will be an evening session on Friday from 5–8pm and two sessions (from 11am–4pm and 5–9pm) on Saturday. Tickets cost $45, which includes tastings, classes, one free glass of vino and a wine glass to keep.