If it has to do with coffee, you can probably find it at this festival. Even if you don't care for coffee, there something at this festival for you. You can try out your favorite recipes in another contest or sing to your heart's content at their special Karaoke night. For coffee growers the annual cupping competition is serious business. As many as fifty farmers enter their finest coffees in the contest, and the First Place title has become a coveted honor.
Winners can proudly count their product as one of the world's very best.
The cupping competition is a two-day event with preliminary rounds of judging on the first day and final judging along with the award ceremony, on the second. The judges sniff, swirl and swish the coffee in the most serious and meticulous manner, basing their marks on aroma, flavor, acidity and body. They also carefully judge the size and shape of the beans. During the competition, a coffee tasting is held for the public and afterward the judges are available for comments. Armed with a special map, you can make a day of it and take the self-guided driving tour.