FUN (and slightly cheesy) FACTS

Cheese Days was the vision of a group of Monroe business owners who felt that if the small town of Foreston, Illinois could have a festival commemorating sauerkraut then a celebration based on cheese would be an even better idea (how right they were!) With a history dating back to 1914, Cheese Days is the oldest food fest in the Midwest More than 3,000 people attended the first festival (despite the lack of television, email, Twitter, Facebook, text messaging) (and other modern conveniences…) Green County is home to the largest concentration of cheesemakers in the country and the most certified Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers in the state Cheeses unique to Green County (not produced anywhere else in the United States) include Limburger (Chalet Cheese Cooperative) and Emmenthaler (180-pound wheels of Swiss from Edelweiss Creamery) Monroe’s Historic Courthouse Square serves as scenic backdrop to the festival Friendly bovines representing various dairy breeds in the Cow Milking Contest: Holstein, Brown Swiss, Jersey, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn Favorite Menu Picks: o Cheesecake-on-a-Stick – available only at Cheese Days (The Swiss Colony) o Hand-Battered Deep-Fried Cheddar Cheese Curds - totally worth the wait in line (Monroe Optimists) o Grilled Cheese & Jelly Sandwiches – “heavenly” food (St. John’s Church) o Ribeye Steak Sandwiches – sizzling from the grill (Green County Beef Producers) o Cream Puffs - served by dairy queens (Green County Ag Chest) o Italian Ice – try grape, blue razz, bubble gum, or mango (Mustache Mike’s) o Spotted Cow Beer – only in Wisconsin! (New Glarus Brewing Company) o Huber Bock – a hometown favorite (Minhas Craft Brewery) Meet ‘em at Cheese Days: Cheesemakers, Brewmasters, Yodelers, Alphorn Blowers, Glass Blowers, Chip Carvers, Accordion Players, Polka Dancers, Swiss Bernese Mountain Dogs, Swiss Natives, Jugglers, Unicycle Riders, Dairy Queens, Dairy Farmers, Dairy Cows Ways to enjoy cheese at the festival: grilled, sliced, cubed, melted, deep-fried, or paired with a local brew Especially for the Kids (Free Family Fun): o Family Farm Adventure o Kid’s Arts and Imagination Station by Monroe Theatre Guild o Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull o Bouncy Houses o “Gemstone Mining” with Cave of the Mounds o Milk mustaches Stuff To Do: o Polka in the street o Milk a cow o Try pronouncing (or spelling) the word “Schwyzeroergeli” o Learn to yodel o Visit a dairy farm o Stir the giant cheese kettle o Go on a barn quilt tour o Shop the Arts & Crafts Fair o Guys – strap on the lederhosen o Ladies – break out the dirndls The Swiss Colony Cheese Days Parade - GIANT parade on Sunday honoring Swiss heritage and local cheese & dairy industries. A really “gouda” time for the whole family! Clowns, marching bands, music, stilt walkers, giant puppets, floats, jugglers, horses, World’s Only Wacky Wheeler, Milwaukee Brewer’s Racing Sausages, Bucky Badger and the UW Madison Marching Band! On the web – www.cheesedays.com On the phone – 1.800.307.7208 Back to Media Page