CiderCon 2024, the largest cider conference in the world, is gearing up to take place from Jan. 13-21, hosting events in both Portland and Corvallis, Oregon.
Two separate cider organizations will participate in CiderCon 2024: the American Cider Association will host events in Portland, while the Northwest Cider Association will host Oregon Cider Week in Corvallis.
An event that has taken place in other parts of the country in years past, CiderCon will return to Oregon for the first time in eight years.
The events will range from cider tastings and cider-food pairings to educational events on the production of cider. CiderCon is open to anyone age 21 or older and will have non-alcoholic ciders as well.
According to Danelle Kronmiller, marketing director at 2 Towns Cider, “CiderCon is the world’s largest cider conference. So, that gives a little bit of impact around how big this is and what an honor it is to have it in our state.”
The convention is set to draw over 1,000 people, ranging from experts in the industry to “cider enthusiasts.”
On Jan. 19 at the 2 Towns Ciderhouse, located at 33930 SE Eastgate Cir, 2 Towns will be offering new cider flavors as part of CiderCon. Nate Sexton, Corvallis native and professional disc golfer who is featured on the new 2 Towns cider cans will be present at the event for a meet-and-greet.
Jessica Wisor, marketing manager of 2 Towns Cider, spoke about how Portland will be a unique location for this year’s event.
“What does Portland not offer to anybody?” Wisor said. “Portland is just a unique, eclectic, craft-central location where there is a heavy emphasis on quality ingredients.”
In Portland, the chef at the restaurant Metropolitan, located at 2081 NW Everett St., partnered with 2 Towns to create and offer certain dishes that will go with various ciders at one of the dinner events. According to Wisor, she is looking forward to trying to recreate the recipes that Metropolitan has created to enjoy with 2 Towns.
2 Towns will also be holding an event at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, where they will include other Oregon cider makers.
“We’re really proud of the fruit that we grow here, and the juice we provide,” Wisor said. “And so are our neighbors, so we want to support all the other cideries.”
This will be a tasting event that will include live music, as well as different tables to walk through and visit. The event is meant to allow spectators to try different ciders, but is also meant to inform the public of cider production.
The Oregon State University Food Innovation Center will be presenting the results of their research in partnership with the Northwest Cider Association during their very own seminar at CiderCon.
“It’s going to be just a wonderful week to celebrate all the various history of cider, the different makings of cider,” Kronmiller said. “The collaborations, the partnerships, the different flavor innovations, (it’s) just an awesome experience.”