The Napa Valley Mustard Festival, in cooperation with the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum, proudly announces The 11th annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival World-Wide Mustard Competition. Judging will take place under the guidance of Barry Levenson, Curator of the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum, in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. The final round of judging will be held in February. The Grand Champion will be selected from gold medal winners by a panel of food critics and chefs. Winners will be announced publicly and medals presented on March 16, 2007, at The Awards, a featured event of the fourteenth annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival at COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa.

Eligibility: The competition is open to all commercial mustard producers and agents throughout the world. Each mustard entered must be available commercially (generally available to grocery or specialty food trade at wholesale level) as of January 1, 2007. Prototype mustards that are not commercially available are not eligible. Proof of commercial availability may be required, especially when prototype labels are furnished.

Deadline: Entries will be accepted at the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum beginning Friday, December 15, 2006 through Friday, January 19, 2007 The shipping address for entries is: Mount Horeb Mustard Museum 100 West Main Street Mount Horeb, WI 53572 608.437.3986 or 800.438.6878 curator@mustardmuseum.com Entry Fees: The entry fee is $35 per mustard entered. A mustard may be entered in more than one category, but each category will constitute a separate entry. Checks should be made payable to Napa Valley Mustard Festival – Mustard Competition.

Cash sponsors of $5,000 or more may enter up to 20 mustards at no extra charge. Sponsorship also includes a booth at The Marketplace, at COPIA: The American Center for Wine Food & the Arts.

Cash sponsors of $2,500 may enter up to eight mustards at no extra charge with booth fees at an additional cost of $525. Complete sponsorship packages are available upon request. Mail check to Summers-McCann, Inc., P. O. Box 1385, Sonoma, CA 95476.

Submittal Requirements: Each entry must consist of twelve (12) jars of at least three-and one-half ounces net weight, not to exceed 32 ounces each. Jars will be used for the tasting competition, display, and promotion. Unopened jars will not be returned and may be sold by the Mustard Museum to support promotional mustard activities. Special instructions (e.g., refrigeration requirements) should be clearly written on the entry form. Each medal winner will be required to submit an additional 12 jars of each mustard entry to Summers-McCann, Inc. Public Relations, 752 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476 for Grand Champion selection and for display and tasting at The Awards and The Marketplace at COPIA: The American Center for Wine Food & the Arts.

Categories: The categories for the competition appear on a separate sheet, attached to this announcement. Mustards that appear to be entered in an inappropriate category will be placed in an appropriate category at the discretion of the contest coordinator.

Further Information: For specific information about the competition contact Barry Levenson, competition coordinator, at the Mount Horeb Mustard Museum: Telephone 608.437.3986; Fax 608.437.4018. For information about the Napa Valley Mustard Festival, World-Wide Mustard Competition, or The Awards, contact Summers-McCann, Inc. Public Relations: 707.944.1133 or 707.938.1133; fax 707.938.0123. A PDF with all the info is available here.