500 cheeses, so little time

Upward of 10,000 people are expected to sample the wares at the Great British Cheese Festival in Cardiff, Wales.

SEPT. 27-28

CARDIFF, WALES

Great British Cheese Festival: Cheesemakers from across the United Kingdom will show their wares at this 9th annual Welsh festival at the dramatic Cardiff Castle in the capital city. Ten thousand dealers, makers, and cheese enthusiasts will gather to taste such delicacies as Hafod, a new organic raw-milk variety, and Welsh Farmhouse Caerffili. After a trade-only cheese contest on Friday night, Britain's biggest cheese market will showcase 500 cheeses that visitors can sample and purchase; ale, cider, and English wine will also be for sale. Cheesemaking demonstrations, whiskey and malt tastings, and a class on setting up cheese boards will round out the festivities, along with classes on matching wines and ales with cheese, and explorations of cheese regions. Cost is $12.70 for adults, $9.70 for seniors, students, and those under age 16. thecheeseweb.com.

SEPT. 20-OCT. 5

MUNICH

Oktoberfest 2008: The tradition is long - this is the 175th year in this Bavarian capital - and the festivities exuberant at the annual celebration of the art of German brewing. The festival starts with a gala parade of colorful floats pulled by horses to the historic square of Theresienwiese where the first barrel of beer will be tapped. For 16 days, beer will be served in 14 tents that have a seating capacity of 100,000. There is no admission fee; cost of a liter of beer is $10.50-$12. muenchen.de/rathaus.

OCT. 3-5

FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS

Oktoberfest: If Germany is too far and too expensive this year, you might consider an Oktoberfest in the states. This city in the Texas Hill Country revels each year in oompah bands, polka and other dances, plenty of German and Czech crafts, and beer tents. There are special activities for children, and of course German sausages, sauerkraut, and other traditional fare. A two-day pass is $10, three days for $15. 830-997-4810, oktoberfest infbg.com.

OCT. 5

REDWOOD CITY, CALIF.

Arts & Olive Festival: Looking for a low-key outing that combines culinary learning with the arts? This festival on the Cañada College campus combines art exhibits with seminars on olive growing, olive tastings, and sales of olives and olive-related products. Olive trees, which were uprooted when the college was being built in the 1960s and then replanted, have star spots on campus. The event, a bargain at a suggested donation of $5, benefits scholarships to this community college near Silicon Valley. 650-306-3428, olivefest.com.

OCT. 9-11

DENVER

Great American Beer Fest: This is the place for beer aficionados with three days of tastings from 400 breweries competing for top prizes. Last year's winners included Pyramid Crystal Weizen from Seattle; Whitetail Wheat from Billings, Mont., and Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter from Anchorage. Daily tickets allow unlimited one-ounce tastings, and many of the booths are staffed by the brewers themselves. Chefs also demonstrate and offer tastings of foods matched to beers. Tickets range from a day rate of $50 to $385 for a three-day deluxe pass. 888-822-6273, 303-447-0816, beertown.org/events/gabf/.

PLAN AHEAD

NOV. 2-DEC. 4

YOSEMITE PARK, CALIF.
Vintners' Holidays: This national park extends its season by offering eight two- to three-day sessions of wine tastings through November and into early December. This year's offerings include wine seminars, gala dinners in the Ahwahnee Dining Room, and plenty of opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the park in late fall. Some of the wineries to be featured this year are Talbott Vineyards, Karly Winery, Mumm Napa, Tablas Creek Vineyard, Bonny Doon Vineyard, and Dutton-Goldfield Winery. Packages with lodging range from $530-$1,345. Tickets for individual events without lodging are $149. 801-559-4884, yosemitepark.com (click on Yosemite specials).

ALISON ARNETT

Events are sometimes canceled, rescheduled, or sold out; call or check online to confirm. Alison Arnett can be reached at alacarte59@ aol.com.