Norfolk Mac &
Cheese Festival

The 5th annual Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival is taking over the Waterside District on October 12th & 13th, 2024! Join us for a family-friendly event filled with tons of Mac n’ Cheese, live entertainment, eating contests, themed activities & more!

** BIGGER THAN EVER BEFORE ** The Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival will feature over 50+ styles of Mac & Cheese goodness from over 18 of the area’s best restaurants, food trucks & chef's cheesy visions into reality! Get ready to try a mountain of cheese goodness at Virginia’s largest-ever mac and cheese festival. No matter how you like it—peppery, with ketchup, crispy with breadcrumbs or creamy like butter, you'll find the mac and cheese of your dreams right here!

AT A GLANCE

- 18+ Mac & Cheese Food Vendors (Over 50+ styles)

- Family Fun Zone with Bounce Houses, Face Painters & more!

- Free Kids Pumpkin Patch & Painting

- East Coast's Biggest Mac & Cheese Eating Contest

- Giant Cheese Fry Bar

- “Best of” Awards Ceremony

- Giant Craft Beer Garden

- Axe Throwing Trailer

- Free Rocking Climbing Wall

- Bands & Live Entertainment

- Kids Trick or Treating Area

- Cornhole Tournament & Tailgate Game

- Giant Artisan & Vendor Marketplace & so much more!

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET $9.99* (Limited Pre-Sale) 2PM to 8PM

-Entry into Festival

-1 Drink Voucher (good for beer, mixed drinks,

VIP TICKET $54.99* (Limited Pre-Sale) 12PM to 8PM

- Express Two-Hour Early Entry (Doors open at 12PM for VIP)

- All You Can Eat Mac N’ Cheese from 12PM-2PM (pay as you go after 2PM)

- 4 Drink Vouchers

- Select Artisan Sampling from 12PM-2PM

- Exclusive VIP Area with Bars & Restrooms

- Axe Throwing Voucher

- Unlimited French Fry Bar from 12PM- 2PM

- Commemorative Keepsake

- 25% Off Merchandise Coupon

HOW IT WORKS

Over 18 of the area’s best restaurants & food purveyors will be on hand to dish out a variety of gourmet Mac & Cheese along Mac & Cheese inspired dishes! All food-related items will work on a voucher system with vouchers sold in sheets of 5 for $10. This provides the best opportunity for you to try as many locations & varieties of Mac & Cheese as possible or larger platters of your favorite vendor!

Vouchers can be purchased in sheets at voucher stations throughout the festival grounds & will be exchanged for a serving of Mac & Cheese or other food-related items. There will be various bars, beverage stations & beer gardens serving ice cold brews, fine spirits, water, soda & other refreshments on a normal cash & credit system. Additional vendors will be on hand to sell funnel cakes, cotton candy, ice cream, water ice, hot chocolate, desserts & other goodies!

DARE TO COMPETE!

The Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival will be awarding cash, prizes & awards to the following competitions:

Mac & Cheese Eating Contest: Battle it out with your fellow competitors to see who can eat the most Mac & Cheese in 2 mins! Signup forms coming soon & will be limited to the first 10 participants.

Cheese Fries Eating Contest: This one is for all those French fry lovers! You will be given a giant bucket of cheese fries & the winner will be crowned when their entire bucket of french fries is finished!

Can of Whiz Hold: This one will be a test of strength! Similar to the beer stein hold but with a giant can of whiz! The person who can hold their can of whiz in front of them without falling with be crowned the champion!

AWARDS CEREMONY

The area's best will be battling it out to see who has the best Mac N' Cheese in all the land!

- Best Tasting Mac & Cheese

- Most Unique Mac & Cheese

- more awards to be announced!

KIDS DETAILS

Children 10 & under are FREE & do not need a ticket for general admission. VIP will require a ticket for everyone over the age of 2. All kids zone activities will be FREE and included with admission including the free pumpkin patch!

PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

Coming Soon!

REFUND & EXCHANGE POLICY

*All tickets purchased for The Norfolk Mac & Cheese Festival are final. We Do Not issue refunds or exchanges & this is a Rain or Shine indoor/outdoor event. Ticket prices are subject to change and increase without notice.