FREEPORT - The 2017 Cheese and Cheers Tour featuring local cheese stores, breweries and a winery has kicked off.
From now until Oct. 31, visitors can pick up a passport to discover at their leisure local businesses and be rewarded for visiting all of the stops.
Participants in the tour include The Cheese Market and Generations Brewing Company in Freeport, Megz Country Cheese in Davis, Lena Brewing Company in Lena, Wishful Acres Farm and Brewery between Freeport and Lena, and Famous Fossil Winery located east of Cedarville.
Passports are available at the participating businesses as well as the Visitors Center located at 4596 U.S. 20 east in Freeport and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W. Spring St., in downtown Freeport.
Local foods, craft beers and wine are an attraction for visitors and local residents alike. The Cheese and Cheers Tour is an opportunity to celebrate this rich agricultural heritage and take a leisurely drive through the rolling hills of Northwest Illinois.
When all of the stops have been visited, the passport holder may turn in the passport at any of the participating businesses and receive the featured reward of that business. The visitor is then eligible to also enter the grand prize drawing, which will be awarded Oct. 31 after the end of the Tour campaign.
Each of the participating businesses features something unique. The Cheese Market offers an array of traditional and specialty cheese, salsas and sausages. Megz Country Cheese features more than 60 kinds of cheese with 90 percent coming from local factories. Famous Fossil Vineyard and Winery produces full bodied reds, crisp whites and delicious fruit wines made from Illinois grapes. Generations Brewing Company serves their artisan ales and lagers and offers a full service bar featuring premium and craft wines and spirits. Lena Brewing Company, located in a converted mill building, features craft beers to enjoy in their unique taproom or outdoor patio. Wishful Acres Farm and Brewery features an artisan craft micro-brewery offering beers using many of the hops, vegetables and fruits grown on their organic family farm.
The Cheese and Cheers Tour is sponsored by the participating businesses as well as the Freeport/Stephenson County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau.
For more information about The Cheese and Cheers Tour, contact the Freeport/Stephenson County Visitors Bureau at 815-233-1357 or 800-369-2955.
From now until Oct. 31, visitors can pick up a passport to discover at their leisure local businesses and be rewarded for visiting all of the stops.
Participants in the tour include The Cheese Market and Generations Brewing Company in Freeport, Megz Country Cheese in Davis, Lena Brewing Company in Lena, Wishful Acres Farm and Brewery between Freeport and Lena, and Famous Fossil Winery located east of Cedarville.
Passports are available at the participating businesses as well as the Visitors Center located at 4596 U.S. 20 east in Freeport and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau, 210 W. Spring St., in downtown Freeport.
Local foods, craft beers and wine are an attraction for visitors and local residents alike. The Cheese and Cheers Tour is an opportunity to celebrate this rich agricultural heritage and take a leisurely drive through the rolling hills of Northwest Illinois.
When all of the stops have been visited, the passport holder may turn in the passport at any of the participating businesses and receive the featured reward of that business. The visitor is then eligible to also enter the grand prize drawing, which will be awarded Oct. 31 after the end of the Tour campaign.
Each of the participating businesses features something unique. The Cheese Market offers an array of traditional and specialty cheese, salsas and sausages. Megz Country Cheese features more than 60 kinds of cheese with 90 percent coming from local factories. Famous Fossil Vineyard and Winery produces full bodied reds, crisp whites and delicious fruit wines made from Illinois grapes. Generations Brewing Company serves their artisan ales and lagers and offers a full service bar featuring premium and craft wines and spirits. Lena Brewing Company, located in a converted mill building, features craft beers to enjoy in their unique taproom or outdoor patio. Wishful Acres Farm and Brewery features an artisan craft micro-brewery offering beers using many of the hops, vegetables and fruits grown on their organic family farm.
The Cheese and Cheers Tour is sponsored by the participating businesses as well as the Freeport/Stephenson County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau.
For more information about The Cheese and Cheers Tour, contact the Freeport/Stephenson County Visitors Bureau at 815-233-1357 or 800-369-2955.