By Heather Collins
Hamilton County cheese lovers, rejoice and unite. Return of the Mac will hit Hamilton County on June 3.
Chef’s Night Off and MOKB Presents have announced that Noblesville will be the next stop for Return of the Mac, a food festival dedicated to mac n’ cheese.
“I’ve spent the last four years working with upper echelon of the region’s food scene and realized I had been alienating the average diner,” said R.J. Wall, festival co-founder and Chef’s Night Off Ambassador of Awesome. “So I thought and thought about what is the most loved food in America that translates well to a festival style event. Duh! Mac n’ cheese?”
Wall said he believes Indiana is a perfect state to represent the average American who loves comfort food.
“I’ll bet my bottom dollar that the lion’s share of Indiana’s population loves mac n’ cheese,” Wall said.
Wall won’t be losing his bottom dollar, as it turns out Hoosiers really do love mac n’ cheese. Earlier this year, the festival sold-out in Bloomington and Indianapolis, with the Indy festival selling out in less than an hour. Hamilton County will be the final 2017 stop for the festival.
“I think Hamilton County is an under-served market with a lot fun people and families looking to get out and have a great time,” Wall said. “There are so many great facilities and an abundance of awesome, locally owned restaurants to work with.”
During the event, attendees can sample cheesy goodness from 25 Noblesville and North Indianapolis restaurants. Local chefs will craft their own spin on the classic comfort food. The mac n’ cheese creations will be judged by a panel of local foodies who will determine the winner of the “Golden Noodle.” Residents can vote in the Yelp! Crowd Favorite Competition. Some participating restaurants include The Local, Barley Island, Four Day Ray, The Coterie and Rail Epicurean.
Return of the Mac will hit Hamilton County from 1 – 5 p.m. on June 3 at the Federal Hill Commons, at 175 Logan St. in Noblesville. The Federal Hill Commons will also host the Noblesville Main Street Farmer’s Market and a free concert with rock band 16 Candles that day.
Tickets go on sale April 7 at 10 a.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission, $40 for VIP Early Entry tickets and children under the age of six are free. Tickets grant access to unlimited 2-hour sampling. For information or to purchase tickets, visit returnofthemacfest.com.
