Detroit Free Press

‘Largest Mac & Cheese Fest’ returns to Michigan for 2024

- Amy Huschka Detroit Free Press USA TODAY NETWORK

A festival honoring the ooey gooey cheesy goodness that is mac-and-cheese is returning to Kalamazoo this summer.

Touting it as the “largest Mac & Cheese Fest,” Outlier Events, the creators of the “world’s only Donut and Beer Festival,” “the country’s first Tots & Taps Fest” and the Taco & Tequila Festival, are bringing their macaroni and cheese festival back to Homer Stryker Field on June 29.

After being held in new markets of Grand Rapids; Avon, Ohio; and Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, in 2023, the festival is returning to the home of the Kalamazoo Growlers in 2024. Homer Stryker Field was the first ballpark to host the festival in 2019.

“We can’t wait to bring Mac & Cheese Festival back to Kalamazoo after a year on the road,” Kendall Soto of Outlier Events said in a news release. “We hand select each city to host our events and are excited to announce Kalamazoo as the first location to host Mac & Cheese Festival this year.”

The festival promises to offer “unique and local vendors serving 25+ one-of-a-kind macand-cheese dishes, 150-plus beer/ciders/seltzers, and entertainm­ent for all ages,” the release said.

Tickets

Each attendee will receive food and drink tokens with their tickets, a drink cup and a branded lanyard.

There are a limited number of VIP tickets, which grant 90-minutes early entry into the festival and a VIP only gift.

Early access tickets go on sale Thursday. VIP allows festivalgo­ers into the event from 3 to 4:30 p.m. The event itself will be held from 4:30 to 8 p.m. h VIP: Mac and beers: $65 h GA: Mac and beers — $49 h VIP: Just mac — $49 h GA: Just mac — $39

Entertainm­ent

Lookin’ Back, a Bob Seger tribute band, and a tribute to “Return of the Mack” Mark Morrison will perform during the event. Plus, a cheese-filled dunk tank, carnival rides and games, a mac-and-cheese-eating competitio­n, and more are expected.

There will also be a 40-yard dash competitio­n with a prize for the fastest runner up for grabs.

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Contact Amy Huschka: ahuschka@freepress.com or follow her on Twitter (@aetmanshus­chka).

 ?? PHOTOS PROVIDED BY OUTLIER EVENTS GROUP ?? The 2024 Mac & Cheese Festival in Kalamazoo is expected to feature local vendors serving 25+ one-of-a-kind mac and cheese dishes, 150+ beer/ciders/ seltzers and entertainm­ent.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY OUTLIER EVENTS GROUP The 2024 Mac & Cheese Festival in Kalamazoo is expected to feature local vendors serving 25+ one-of-a-kind mac and cheese dishes, 150+ beer/ciders/ seltzers and entertainm­ent.
 ?? ?? Lookin’ Back, a Bob Seger tribute band, will perform at the 2024 Mac & Cheese Fest in Kalamazoo on June 29 at Homer Stryker Field.
Lookin’ Back, a Bob Seger tribute band, will perform at the 2024 Mac & Cheese Fest in Kalamazoo on June 29 at Homer Stryker Field.

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