Final preparations are being made for the fourth annual Cider and Mead Festival on Orcas Island.

Up to 20 cider and mead producers from all over the Northwest will be offering tastes of 60-80 varieties of ciders and meads under the big white tent on Saturday, May 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Eastsound Village Green on Orcas Island.

Located alongside the Farmers Market on the Village Green, hard ciders and meads will be available to those age 21 and over for as little as $5 per person.  Local bands like the Dustbunnies, the Crow Valley Family Band and Orcas grown Andonimus Sessions (Andon Hiltner) will be entertaining the crowd.

One of the special events is the Orcas Island Cider Home Brew Competition around 2 p.m.  Last year there were 16 entries.  Each year, the number gets bigger and the brews get better, say organizers.

Several Orcas restaurants are planning foods prepared with ciders that weekend.

All net proceeds from this event will benefit the Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program.