Coffee Trick-or-Treat and time travel await at 10th annual CoffeeCon Festival Oct. 14-15
The CoffeeCon Festival is back for its 10th year, promising a delightful blend of coffee history and time travel experiences. Scheduled for Oct. 14-15 at the picturesque St. James Farm in Warrenville, this event is set to transport you through the rich tapestry of coffee's past and present.
What's brewing?
One of the highlights of this year's CoffeeCon Festival is the opportunity to meet the legends behind coffee's evolution. Step back in time at the Coffee Time Machine and encounter the remarkable individuals who shaped the coffee landscape:
• Melitta Bentz: An ordinary German housewife in the early 1900s, Melitta Bentz became a coffee pioneer with her ingenious invention of the pour-over coffee brewing method and the paper filter. Her patented idea gave birth to the renowned Melitta company, all while juggling household responsibilities.
• Kaldi the Goat Herder: Journey to the origins of coffee with Kaldi, the goat herder credited with discovering coffee. He'll share captivating stories of learning from observation and the fascinating beginnings of this beloved beverage.
• Erna Knutsen: The Queen of Green, Erna Knutsen, coined the term "specialty coffee." After being ousted from a coffee company's tasting room due to her gender, she championed small coffee farmers and kick-started the specialty coffee industry.
• Gabriel De Clieu: His story is one of adventure, intrigue, and heroism. Legend has it he single-handedly introduced the coffee plant to the Western Hemisphere. King Louis XV refused his request to take a cutting of a coffee tree from the Royal Garden Atrium. In a daring act of smuggling De Clieu took a cutting to the New World and shared his water rations with his precious plant. This one act changed agricultural history and kick-started the coffee industry in the Americas.
• Jacob Bunn: In Springfield, Jacob Bunn established his store and bank, sharing anecdotes about his close friend, Abraham Lincoln. He even lent money to President Lincoln for his campaign and later became one of his pallbearers. Jacob will also share intriguing predictions about his grandson, George Bunn, the inventor of the automatic drip brewer.
• Dr. Peter Schlumbohm: The inventor of the Chemex Coffeemaker, Dr. Schlumbohm's creation inspired George Bunn. His iconic Chemex now resides in the Museum of Modern Art and is celebrated as one of the finest ways to brew coffee. Dr. Schlumbohm will personally teach the art of making the Perfect Vintage Chemex in one of the 30 free walk-in coffee classes.
This year's CoffeeCon promises an array of experiences, including the Coffee Time Machine, 30 free walk-in coffee classes, a Coffee Roaster Pavilion with 16 specialty roasters offering coffee bean samples in a Coffee Trick-or-Treat experience, Espresso with La Marzocco, a Coffee Art Exhibit, a vendor market with food, arts, and crafts, and live music and entertainment amidst the vibrant fall colors of St. James Farm.
It will be 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days with check-in at 8 a.m.
The first 3,000 adult attendees will have the opportunity to Coffee Trick-or-Treat with the roasters on our roasters pavilion.
This year, they are offering a special coffee tasting class (extra ticketed presentation) with Kenneth Davids, author of four books on coffee and editor/founder of Coffee Review. Davids will take participants through detailed tasting of three to four different coffees and demonstrate to the group the ways in which the cup characteristics of each sample reflect differences in tree variety, processing method and terroir.
Tickets are $25, granting you access to all these experiences. A limited coupon code for $5 off your order is available. Enter the word: TimeTraveler. As a bonus, attendees are automatically entered into our renowned Coffee and Coffee Equipment Prize Draw at 3 p.m. each day. Stay the day, explore, taste, have fun and win prizes.
For more information and to secure your tickets, visit Coffee-Con.com.
CoffeeCon Festival is owned by the Foundation For Coffee Knowledge, a 501(c)3 corporation.