Wine and mac 'n cheese festival coming to Monroeville

Wine connoisseurs and mac ’n cheese lovers can get their fill of both in Monroe­ville at the end of the month.

The convention center will host Wine Shine Mac ’n Cheese Fest on Feb. 29 at 209 Mall Plaza Blvd.

The event is presented by WineFest PA, which is run by Jefferson Hills couple Dottie and Bob Miller.

“Mac ’n cheese has taken on a whole identity of its own now,” Dottie Miller said. “People just love all of the different ways it can be made. I think they’re just so excited by it. That’s why we can have a whole festival around it.”

About a dozen wineries and distilleries from across the state will be on hand offering more than 200 types of beverages. People can sample most drinks prior to purchase, and there will be a wine check service at the front door so patrons don’t have to carry their bottles around.

“It’s not a drunk fest,” Dottie Miller said. “It’s really a day for people to enjoy tasting news types of wine. We have a following of vendors because a lot of these people travel from city to city with us. The hardest part is lining up the venue with the weekends.”

The Millers are familiar with the convention center. They hosted numerous bridal shows with their former business, Wedding Clickers.

At least six food vendors will be at the festival, each with specialty dishes.

Among them is Mobile Chef, run by Jamie Gatewood of Pittsburgh.

“We do specialize in flavors from around the world,” Gatewood said. “I wanted to bring something for people. There are some people who come who don’t want mac ’n cheese, so we’ll be offering a few other things at the festival as well.”

Mobile Chef mac ’n cheese dishes include Indian chicken, Japanese seafood, Buffalo chicken dip, Mexican steak, Caribbean pulled pork and Italian hummus. A $25 sampler platter features a taste of all of them.

Tracy Hall-Berry of West Mifflin will bring her Mommalicious food truck to Monroeville.

“Participating in the mac ’n cheese festival is an absolute honor,” Hall-Berry said. “Mommalicious has been participating in statewide food truck festivals for many years now. I love what I do. Serving the community with delicious homemade food and superb service is my passion.

“This mac ’n cheese festival will be like no other. The event organizers, Bob and Dottie Miller, are amazing people. Their events are always a sellout and success — great food, amazing service, quenching drinks and soothing entertainment. I’m so excited.”

Mommalicious meals include barbecue pulled pork, bacon cheddar ranch, garlic butter crab, braised beef and gravy, teriyaki and sesame chicken mac ’n cheese. People can choose to try three kinds in a $15 sampler.

Other food vendors include Wok on Wheels with its mac ’n cheese spring rolls; Speals on Wheels with its steak and mac ’n cheese fries; and DelVecchio’s Sausage with its sriracha and jalapeno sausage mac ’n cheese.

DoubleTree by Hilton’s catering division is expected to bring its lobster mac and steak tip mushroom mac ’n cheese.

Drink vendors include Bear Creek Wines, Bee Kind Winery, Big Springs Spirits, D&O Wine Cellars, Deer Creek Winery, KingView Mead and Wine O’Clock Somewhere.

Entertainment will be provided by “Erie’s Pianoman,” Matt Gavula.

Dottie Miller said she expects between 1,500 and 2,000 people to attend, weather permitting.

VIP tickets are available at $15 online and $20 at the door. Those guests get in at 11:30 a.m. and receive a large stemmed souvenir wine glass.

Regular tickets cost $10 online and $15 at the door. They come with a noon admission and a smaller, stemless wine glass.

More information is available at winefestpa.com.

More information about convention center activities is available at monroevilleconventioncenter.com.