Hungry revelers and 32 restaurants will participate in the Macaroni & Cheese Festival on Saturday at Fort Lewis College. Attendees can consume their fill of 1-ounce samples of mac and cheese, cleansing their palates with wine and beer from more than 50 breweries.

The Macaroni & Cheese Festival, which benefits United Way of Southwest Colorado, is organized by American General Media, the parent company of local radio stations 99X – Durango’s Hit Music Station, KDGO – Durango’s News/Talk, Kiss Country 97.9 and 92.9 The Point. American General Media also will produce Durango’s Oktoberfest 2015, in collaboration with the Bootleggers Society.

AGM’s Sales Manager Alex Brandon said he looks forward to presenting the event.

“We had a great deal of success with this event in our first year but nevertheless sought to improve in every way possible,” he said.

Returning guests can expect to find more beer, more wine, more participating restaurants, shorter lines and new amenities, including a photo booth, corn hole tournament, cooling lounges, dunk tank and even a mechanical bull, Brandon said. An on-site day care will be operated by Riverhouse Children’s Center, so families can drop off their kids and enjoy the festivities.

Tickets to the Macaroni & Cheese Festival are available online at TheMacandCheeseFest.com, or at Maria’s Bookshop in downtown Durango and Before My Time Antiques in Farmington.

cmcallister@durangoherald.com