FVCC Festival of Flavors begins Oct. 5

Flathead Valley Community College’s 11th Annual Fall Festival of Flavors to support scholarships and student success returns to campus Oct. 5.

Sponsored by Fun Beverage and local businesses and individuals, the Festival of Flavors runs Oct. 5-13 and features gourmet food, wine and beer pairings showcasing the talents of local and regional chefs, as well as students from the Culinary Institute of Montana and the Brewing Academy of Montana.

“Scholarships make college possible for so many of our students,” FVCC Foundation Executive Director Colleen Unterreiner said. “The generosity of this community continues to help students reach their educational goals.”

Students who receive scholarships complete their education at higher rates and in shorter time frames, according to Unterreiner.

Scholarship recipients will attend many of the festival events, providing community members the opportunity to learn more about the impact scholarships have on student success.

“The fact that someone out there thinks that I deserve a scholarship makes me want to work even harder,” said Curt Zygmond, a 2018 Transformation Scholarship recipient.

Tickets are still available for the following events:

Friday, Oct. 5 — Festival Campus Kick-off featuring buffet-style Oktoberfest dinner prepared by the Culinary Institute of Montana, beer crafted by the Brewing Academy of Montana, wine tastings, and live music by Luke Dowler. Tickets are $50 per person.

Sunday, Oct. 7 — Four-course dinner and wine pairings prepared by Chef Michael Cartwright at Cypress-Yard at Nancy Cawdrey Gallery, Whitefish. Tickets are $125 per person.

Monday, Oct. 8 — Four-course dinner and wine pairings prepared by Chef Joe Hussion at When in Rome, Bigfork. Tickets are $125 per person.

Saturday, Oct. 13 — Grand Wine Tasting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kalispell featuring 200 wines, local cuisine, auctions and live music by New Wave Time Trippers. Tickets are $100 per person. Tables of 10 are $750.

All events begin at 6 p.m. All prices include dinner, wine/brew pairings and gratuity.

To view menus or purchase tickets, visit www.fvcc.edu/festival or call 756-3632. To learn more about the FVCC Foundation Scholarship program or establishing a scholarship at FVCC, contact Colleen Unterreiner at 756-3914 or colleenu@fvcc.edu.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.