Mmmm… Grilled Cheese. Can it get any better?? Dodgeville is “Grilled Cheese Central” on Saturday, April 20, 2024 as the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship takes place at the Leo Pavilion in Harris Park. Amateurs and professionals compete in 4 “heats” to determine the best grilled cheese sandwiches in Wisconsin and compete for fabulous prizes. Listen to live music, drink some beer and wine, sample outstanding grilled cheese sandwiches. Fun for all ages. Free admission! Get all the details at their website, grilledcheesewisconsin.com.
You can get to Dodgeville via U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23. Any trip is worth it for grilled cheese!
Our previous favorites have included the Gouda Girls (below); Tina and Katherine make grilled cheese sandwich combos that win all across the nation. They’re based in Milwaukee and do incredible things with taste buds. Our head State Trunk Tour guy Eric Paulsen got to experience their creations firsthand in this Discover Wisconsinepisode. We don’t have any vote, though, so we’ll see how this goes.
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship Address:
Harris Park
600 Bennett Road
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-9200 Website
The 16th Annual Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival returns to the legendary Brat Stop in Kenosha on Saturday, April 13th! This fun-filled event features a variety of Wisconsin cheeses, some of the most sought after beers from Wisconsin and beyond and awesome live music!. This is a “don’t miss event” for anybody who likes beer, cheese and music!
The festival typically draws over 900 attendees and features over 100 different styles of beer, a home brew competition, local breweries, live music and of course, unlimited beer and cheese samples. Boys & Toys will headline the event and play in the Parkway Chateau, adjacent to the Brat Stop.
The Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival has a rather extensive VIP ticket package. For $80 in advance or $85 at the door, VIP fest goers receive a lunch buffet courtesy of Festival Foods, specialty cheese and beers, a VIP beer stein and an extra hour of festing! The food buffet is available for the duration of the fest from noon until 5 p.m.
General admission ticketsare $55 in advance and $60 at the door. All tickets include a commemorative glass, live music and four hours of unlimited beer and cheese samples. Designated driver tickets are $15. This is a 21+ only event.
Last time we checked over 50 different brewers will be there, with everything from Miller, Point, and Lakefront to Schell’s, Bell’s, Toppling Goliath, Bare Bones, Alaskan, and more – plus three local home brew societies. They’ll be pouring samples and providing info about their beers and brewing processes. Of course, great food – including brats – will be part of the sustenance and bands will be playing to serenade your eating, drinking, talking, and enjoying.
Monroe is an epicenter of cheesemaking in the heart of Green County – even their high school team name is the “Cheesemakers.” The city and county celebrates every other year Green County Cheese Days, a three-day hullabaloo filled with food, music, dancing, contests, crafts, cheesemaking, cow milking, yodeling, and even Wisconsin’s only parade led by Brown Swiss Cows. After skipping 2020 and 2021 (it’s an every-other-year festival, after all) Green County Cheese Days is back for 2022, happening September 16th through the 18th.
Monroe’s beautiful town square centers around the gorgeous Green County Courthouse and fills up with all the fun. From a beer and Limburger sandwich at Baumgartner’s to the 5K & 10K Cheese Days Chase, from arts & crafts to actual cow milking, Cheese Days is a blast.
Get the schedule and details on all of their events at the Cheese Days website, or below reprinted from their site. Scroll down for more details, including the schedule for the Main Stage lineup!
Highways 11, 59, 69, and 81 all bring you to Monroe. The three days of festivities are also right next to the Minhas Craft Brewery, which is worth a tour, and the lovely trappings of Green County, including New Glarus just up Highway 69. Make a weekend of it!
Green County Cheese Days Address:
1016 16th Avenue
Monroe, WI 53566
(608) 325-7771 Website
Green County Cheese Days Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, SEPT 16
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park off site at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) & ride bus downtown. 5–10 pm
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. 9 am – 7:30 pm
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (10 am–9 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–8:30 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–midnight) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Musical entertainment throughout the weekend. Open all weekend.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open all weekend.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST SIDE of the Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–8 pm)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING: Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–6 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe. Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick – made exclusively for Cheese Days! Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE CORNER (10 am – 9 pm)
BARN QUILT and DAIRY FARM TOUR – Board a bus for a guided tour to one of Green County’s most beautiful family-operated dairy farms. You’ll meet members of the family and their Holstein herd, along with calves, a donkey, rabbit, chickens, guineas, peacocks, ducks, pigs, goats, dogs, and cats. On the way to the farm and back, you’ll see some of Green County’s barn quilts. We guarantee you’ll be entertained along the way by stories from tour guides Lynn Lokken & Kris Winkler – the volunteers who developed the Barn Quilt project. Admission of $5 charged for those 6 and older; ages 5 and under are free. (This is a 2-hour tour. You’ll be back downtown at the festival grounds at 1 pm, so you may want to eat lunch prior to departing.) TODAY – PURCHASE TICKETS AT INFO TRAILER NEAR THE BEER STAND – limited seating 50 tickets will be sold. (Saturday – tickets for sale at Family Farm Adventure Tent) (11 am)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music during the day. Tonight’s street dance – BOOGIE AND THE YO-YO’Z. (Live music today on the main stage from noon til midnight)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen – Master Yodeler (Noon)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (Noon–5 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – John Waelti and Bobbie Edler Accordion Duo (1 pm)
GREENWOODS CEMETERY WALK – sponsored by Green County Genealogical Society and Green County Historical Society – led by local historians. Info: 608.328.7436 or 608.426.1796. (Registration 1 pm; walk at 1:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Keith Zweifel Band (1:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorn Entertainment (3 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Green County Harmony Chorus (2 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (2–8 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (2:45 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (3 pm)
OPENING CEREMONY – MAIN STAGE – MC – Scott Thompson of BIG RADIO. Presentation of Colors with Green County Sheriff Dept., ceremonial blowing of Alphorns, presentation of royalty, “Procession of Cheesemakers” (6 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Mascot Theory (Americana, Alt-Folk Rock) (7 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Monroe Swiss Singers (7:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (8:15 pm)
STREET DANCE (uf der Strass Tanze) – MAIN STAGE – Boogie and the Yo-Yo’z (8:30 pm–midnight)
SATURDAY, SEPT 17
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park offsite at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) and ride the bus downtown. Other stops today include **Historic Cheese Center** and Green County Fairgrounds. (**Historic Cheese Center closes at 4 pm). (Shuttle runs 10 am–10 pm)
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (9 am–9 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–8:30 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–midnight) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Musical entertainment throughout the weekend. Open all weekend.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open all weekend.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
FARMER’S MARKET – South of Middle School (8 am–4 pm)
“STREETS OF SWITZERLAND” European Sidewalk Café & Biergarten – Swiss specialties at Turner Hall. (8:30 am–7:30 pm)
CHEESE DAYS CHASE – 5 & 10 k run, & 2-mile fun walk. Presented by Monroe Youth Hockey with sponsor Klondike Cheese Factory. Check in 7:30 am. Race starts PROMPTLY at 9 am. (Kid’s Race at 8:30 am) Click for more info.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm) PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE STOP TIL 4 PM
VINTAGE TRACTOR DISPLAY – Courtesy of Monroe area antique tractor owners. Take a step back in time and learn how farmers and their tractors played an important role in shaping the agricultural and cheese industry in Green County. You’ll see various “colors” (brands) – meet the owners & talk about their favorite toys! On 17th Avenue between banks and also in First National Bank parking lot. (9 am–5 pm)
MAKER’S MARKET – Just west of the Square; right behind Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern. Shop the booths of creators, fiber artists, hobbyists, wood crafters, photographers, painters, etc, who personally design and make what they sell. (9 am–8 pm)
VENDOR MARKETPLACE – Booths in Library Parking Lot – Commercial vendors, merchandise for sale, businesses & groups promoting products & services. (9 am–8 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST SIDE of the Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–8 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe. Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick – made exclusively for Cheese Days! Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE CORNER (9 am–9 pm)
HEART OF CHEESE DAYS – Exhibit & Sales – Meet artisans who create traditional Swiss folk art and view exhibits of Swiss artifacts and memorabilia brought to Green County by some of the area’s Swiss immigrants. Presented by Monroe Swiss Singers at Turner Hall. Free admission with 2020 CHEESE DAYS BUTTON (or $2 at the door). (10 am–4 pm)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING – Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–6 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (10 am–8 pm)
CARNIVAL (Rummel Platz) – “Spring Square” south of the Courthouse Square (10 am–11 pm)
KIDS’ STREET (Chinder Schpil Strass) SPONSORED BY TDS – On 16th Avenue by Library. Demonstrations, activities and fun for kids – all free! (Kid’s Street Schedule)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music during the day. Tonight’s Street Dance – Bella Cain! (Live music today from 10:30 am–midnight)
DAIRY FARM TOURS – Board a bus for a guided tour into Green County countryside to visit a family run dairy farm, and to see cows and calves and gain a better understanding of where cheese gets started. $5 admission charged for those 10 and older; under 10 are free. Tickets available in FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT. Length of tour ranges from 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (10:30 am til last bus departs at 3 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (10:30 am)
BARN QUILT and DAIRY FARM TOUR – Board a bus for a guided tour to one of Green County’s most beautiful family-operated dairy farms. You’ll meet members of the family and their Holstein herd, along with calves, a donkey, rabbit, chickens, guineas, peacocks, ducks, pigs, goats, dogs, and cats. On the way to the farm and back, you’ll see some of Green County’s barn quilts. We guarantee you’ll be entertained along the way by stories from tour guides Lynn Lokken & Kris Winkler – the volunteers who developed the Barn Quilt project. Special guest Alice in Dairyland will also be along for the tour! Admission of $5 charged for those 6 and older; ages 5 and under are free. (This is a 2-hour tour. You’ll be back downtown at the festival grounds at 1 pm, so you may want to eat lunch prior to departing.) PURCHASE TICKETS AT FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT ON NE CORNER – limited seating 49 tickets will be sold. (11 am)
MAIN STAGE – Meet the Cheese Days Royalty (11:20 am)
MAIN STAGE – Monroe City Band (Noon)
OLD WORLD CHEESEMAKING DEMONSTRATION (DIE ALT KASEREI “the old cheese factory”) Watch and learn as members of The Foreign Type Cheesemaker’s Association create a 200-pound wheel of Swiss cheese the old fashioned way, in a giant copper kettle. You’ll meet Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers Jeff Wideman and Gary Grossen, who will explain the process and demonstrate the steps. Spectators will have the opportunity to take a turn stirring the kettle with the “Swiss harp” (great photo opp!) After the cheese is “hooped” the cheesemakers will “plug” a block of cheese and demonstrate the grading and judging process using the criteria of the USA and World Championship Cheese Competitions. North of Courthouse. (Noon–4 pm)
COW MILKING CONTEST (Chueh Mälche Wettstriett) – An “udderly” good time thanks to area dairy farmers & their happy herds! Watch as teams compete for prizes – may the most milk win! Located by post office. (1 pm)
MAIN STAGE – David Austin Band (1:15 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – John and Bobbie Accordion Duo (2 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Accordion Four – John, Bobbie, Barb and Mary ( 4 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorn entertainment (4:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Cheesemaker Dancers (4:45 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Andy Yaun Ensemble (5 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (5:30 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – The Decade (Rock hits from the 70’s thru 90’s) (6:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Wheelhouse (7 pm)
STREET DANCE (uf der Strass Tanze) – MAIN STAGE – To Be Announced. (8:30 pm–midnight)
SUNDAY, SEPT 18
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park offsite at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) & ride the bus downtown. Shuttle also stops at Historic Cheese Center until 4 pm. (Shuttle runs 10 am–5 pm)
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. (9 am – 5 pm)
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (9 am–6 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–6 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–6 pm) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Open today til 6 pm.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open today til 6 pm.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm) PARK AND RIDE BUS SHUTTLE STOP.
VENDOR MARKETPLACE – Booths in Library Parking Lot – Commercial vendors, merchandise for sale, businesses & groups promoting products & services. (9 am–5 pm)
MAKER’S MARKET – Just west of the Square; right behind Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern. Shop the booths of creators, fiber artists, hobbyists, wood crafters, photographers, painters, etc, who personally design and make what they sell. (9 am-5 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST side of Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–5 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe! Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick; made exclusively for Cheese Days. Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE Corner. (9 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music. Daily schedule at INFO BOOTH. (Entertainment today 10 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Swiss Canton Fashion Show by Wilhelm Tell Usherettes (10 am)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (10 am–1 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (10 am–5 pm; closed during parade)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING: Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–5 pm)
CARNIVAL (Rummel Platz) – “Spring Square” parking lot – south of the Courthouse Square (10 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (10:30 am)
MAIN STAGE – Goodtime Dutchmen – 3rd Generation Family Polka Band (11:30 am)
THE SWISS COLONY CHEESE DAYS PARADE (Chäs Tag Umzug) – Steps off from fairgrounds at 12:30 pm, arrives downtown approximately 12:45 pm.
MAIN STAGE – UW Marching Band 5th Quarter! (after parade)
MAIN STAGE – Goodtime Dutchmen – 3rd Generation Family Polka Band (3:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – New Glarus Mannerchor (Men’s Choir) (4:10 pm)
MAIN STAGE – New Glarus Jodlerklub (Yodel Club) (5 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (5:45 pm-6:15 pm)
The 11th annual Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest brings a ton of brewers and cheesemakers from around Wisconsin and adjoining states to Madison, where you can meet and mingle with them while sampling hundreds of varieties. This is quite the warm, happy, and fun celebration right in the midst of winter.
The Isthmus is celebrating 11 years of the Beer & Cheese Fest, and in true Spinal Tap salute, they’re “turning it up to 11” with more breweries and cheesemakers than ever! Piano Fondue Dueling Pianos will perform and take requests; Silent Disco will also be there providing entertainment.
General admission tickets ($50) grant festival entry from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and include unlimited sampling and an Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest tasting glass. “Premium Tickets” ($85) allow for a more intimate atmosphere with early access to exclusive tappings & tastings from noon – 2 p.m. Premium Ticket purchases also include an official Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest t-shirt, a tasting glass, and a meal from their Food Court Cart inside the Alliant Energy Center. Either way, it’s a great afternoon experiencing some of Wisconsin’s best eats and drinks.
Tickets tend to sell out every year, so if you want to go, score them sooner rather than later. Of course, you must be 21 to attend. Shuttle rides are available from HopCat (222 W. Gorham Street), Great Dane’s Hilldale location (357 Price Place), and One Barrel Brewing Company (2001 Atwood Avenue.) Parking for the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall is accessible through the Main Gate and costs $7. A coat check (it’ll be January, after all) will be available for $2. You can purchase tickets online here. starting October 3rd, 2019.
You’ll find the Alliant Energy Center on Madison’s south side, right off the Beltline (U.S. 12 & U.S. 18) near Rimrock Road and John Nolen Drive. U.S. 14, 51, and 151 and Highways 30 and 113 are all nearby.
Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest Address:
Alliant Energy Center
1919 Alliant Energy Center Way
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 251-5627 Website Facebook Event Page
Ellsworth backs up its claim as the “Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin” with their annual Cheese Curd Festival this weekend, filled with flavor and fun! We’re talking over 2,500 pounds of curds here.
This free festival offers a wide variety of cheese curd dishes from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery for sampling, super-fresh and available battered or not with a variety of pairings, dips, and more.
Also enjoy over 30 craft brews to choose from, along with hard ciders, wines, and other local and regional beverages to try with your curds.
You can also take in eclectic live music performances and other activities for the entire family, including a classic car show, antique tractor show, games, and more. U.S. 10, U.S. 63, and Highway 65 will bring you to town and ensure you don’t leave hungry – or short on calcium.
Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival Address:
East End Park
U.S. Highways 10/63 at East Wall Street
Ellsworth, WI 54011
(715) 273-6442 Website
Cheese Curd Festival Schedule of Events:
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 – 4 – 10 pm
4:00pm-5:30pm: A Hard Day’s Night (Beatles cover band), Park Stage
4pm- close: Marketplace Vendors
– Part arts and crafts, part farmers market. Browse regional specialties and locally grown, handmade and handcrafted goods.
4pm – 6pm: Craft & Curd: Paired, the ultimate brewery face-off! Five local breweries battle it out for best brew and cheese curd flavor pairing. Who will win? That’s up to you–You’re the judge for this intense (and tasty) competition! Happening at the Tasting Tent
4:30pm – 6:30pm: Little Wing, Point Stage
5pm – Dark: Classic Car Cruise-In & Show, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Lot
6:30pm – 8:30pm: Corks & Kegs Tasting Event. Plan to take part in the tasting experiences offered during the festival. Kegs & Corks adult tasting experiences feature local and regional craft beer, wine and hard cider. A happy hour like no other, enjoy unlimited sampling and light appetizers while visiting with the brewers, crafters and reps. At the Tasting Tent.
6:30pm-8:30pm, Mojo Lemon, Park Stage
7:30pm-9:00pm, Lisa Wenger, Point Stage
SATURDAY, JUNE 22 – 8am – 10 pm
8am: 5K/10K Run
8am-10am: Pancake Breakfast
9:30am: Run Awards, Park Stage
10am: Marketplace Vendors. Part arts and crafts, part farmers market. Browse regional specialties and locally grown, handmade and handcrafted goods. Broadway Street
10am-11:30am: C3 Praise Band, Point Stage
11am-12noon: Milk & Cookie Pairing (while supplies last) The Milk & Cookie Pairing and Farmer Meet & Greet is not to be missed! A great opportunity shake hands with a real farmer and learn about today’s agriculture and what it takes to put food on the tables of families across America. At the Tasting Tent.
11:00am-12:30pm: Tommy Bentz Band, Park Stage
12:30-1:30pm: Ice Cream Tasting, Tasting Tent. Families won’t want to miss the Ice Cream Tasting, a one-hour real dairy flavor celebration featuring creative combinations crafted by the innovative folks from UW-River Falls Food Sciences Department.
12:30pm-2pm: Mark Andrew Band, Point Stage
1:30pm-3:30pm: Brian Naughton, Park Stage
2:00pm-3:30pm: Block Party!, Park Stage. One of the largest cheese tastings in the area. Enjoy cheese right off the ‘block’!
3:00pm-4:30pm: Ross Williams Perry, Point Stage
4pm-6pm: Craft & Curd: Paired. Five regional craft breweries compete for your votes by pairing their favorite craft brew with a custom cheese curd flavor! Which craft and curd pairing will be the winner? That’s up to you when you cast your vote for your favorite. At the Tasting Tent.
4:30pm-6:30pm: Starlette’s Web, Park Stage
6pm-7:30pm: Armadillo Jump, Point Stage
6:30pm-8pm: Corks & Kegs Tasting Event, Tasting Tent. Plan to take part in the tasting experiences offered during the festival. Kegs & Corks adult tasting experiences feature local and regional craft beer, wine and hard cider. A happy hour like no other, enjoy unlimited sampling and light appetizers while visiting with the brewers, crafters and reps.
Beaver Dam is home to one of the premiere Kraft Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese processing plants in the nation. Fittingly, the city annually plays host to the Midwest Cream Cheese Competition with Kraft products as preferred ingredients in any cream cheese recipe. This is one creamy, delicious competition!
Cream cheese is used in a huge variety of concoctions at this delicious competition!
This is the 14th annual festival and offers plenty of great dishes for sampling – although the judges get first dibs. It will take place Saturday, December 1st at the St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center on the south side of downtown Beaver Dam. Get the rest of the details (and mouth-watering photos) on their website!
Beaver Dam is easily reached via the U.S. 151 freeway or Highway 33. Highway 26 is also close by.
Midwest Cream Cheese Competition Address:
St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center
511 S. Spring Street
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
(920) 887-8879 (Beaver Dam Chamber office) Website
Date:
December 1, 2018
Venue:
St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center
Phone:
920-887-8879
Address:
511 S. Spring Street, Beaver Dam, WI, 53916, United States
Madison hosts the World Championship Cheese Contest again this year at the Monona Terrace and it will be a cheese lover’s paradise! Cheesemakers from all over the world descend on Wisconsin’s capital city for three days to judge over 3,000 cheeses, butters, and yogurts.
Preliminary judging rounds for the World Championship Cheese Contest are open to the public for FREE Tuesday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 7. Try some tasty samples as the judges do their thing and narrow it down to finalists and winners.
Then, Thursday night the 8th you can attend the Cheese Champion event. This ticketed event ($25, in advance) lets you sample more than 50 of the best cheese from around the world. International cheese experts will be on hand to show you the intracicies of of cheese evaluation, and of course you can pair cheeses with other foods and craft beers that will be available. The event climaxes with the crowning of the World Champion Cheesemaker!
Monona Terrace is a crown jewel of a conference center, with the original design going back to Frank Lloyd Wright. Perched overlooking Lake Monona on one side with a beautiful view of the Wisconsin State Capitol just a few blocks away, it’s a fantastic place for an event – especially one filled with specialty cheeses! Monona Terrace actually covers U.S. 151/John Nolen Drive for several blocks; it’s mere moments from the Beltline (U.S. 12/18), Park Avenue (U.S. 14/151), East Washington Avenue (U.S. 151), Highway 113, or Highway 30 from I-39/90/94.
World Championship Cheese Contest/Monona Terrace Address:
1 John Nolen Drive (U.S. 151)
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 286-1001 Website
The World Champion Cheesemaker Award was bestowed on a U.S. cheesemaker for the first time since 1988 during the awards in 2016, to Emmi Roth of Monroe, Wisconsin.
Start:
March 6, 2018 10:00 am
End:
March 8, 2018 9:00 pm
Venue:
Monona Terrace
Phone:
608-286-1001
Address:
1 John Nolen Drive, Madison, WI, 53703, United States
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events › Cheese
April 20, 2024
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship
You can get to Dodgeville via U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23. Any trip is worth it for grilled cheese!
Our previous favorites have included the Gouda Girls (below); Tina and Katherine make grilled cheese sandwich combos that win all across the nation. They’re based in Milwaukee and do incredible things with taste buds. Our head State Trunk Tour guy Eric Paulsen got to experience their creations firsthand in this Discover Wisconsin episode. We don’t have any vote, though, so we’ll see how this goes.
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship Address:
Harris Park
600 Bennett Road
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-9200
Website
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April 13, 2024
Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival
The 16th Annual Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival returns to the legendary Brat Stop in Kenosha on Saturday, April 13th! This fun-filled event features a variety of Wisconsin cheeses, some of the most sought after beers from Wisconsin and beyond and awesome live music!. This is a “don’t miss event” for anybody who likes beer, cheese and music!
The festival typically draws over 900 attendees and features over 100 different styles of beer, a home brew competition, local breweries, live music and of course, unlimited beer and cheese samples. Boys & Toys will headline the event and play in the Parkway Chateau, adjacent to the Brat Stop.
The Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival has a rather extensive VIP ticket package. For $80 in advance or $85 at the door, VIP fest goers receive a lunch buffet courtesy of Festival Foods, specialty cheese and beers, a VIP beer stein and an extra hour of festing! The food buffet is available for the duration of the fest from noon until 5 p.m.
General admission tickets are $55 in advance and $60 at the door. All tickets include a commemorative glass, live music and four hours of unlimited beer and cheese samples. Designated driver tickets are $15. This is a 21+ only event.
Last time we checked over 50 different brewers will be there, with everything from Miller, Point, and Lakefront to Schell’s, Bell’s, Toppling Goliath, Bare Bones, Alaskan, and more – plus three local home brew societies. They’ll be pouring samples and providing info about their beers and brewing processes. Of course, great food – including brats – will be part of the sustenance and bands will be playing to serenade your eating, drinking, talking, and enjoying.
Proceeds benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Kenosha. Check the Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival Website for tickets, continued updates, and other details!
You’ll find the Brat Stop right along Highway 50, just west of the I-41/94 interchange. It’s a Wisconsin staple, after all.
Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival Address:
The Brat Stop
12304 75th Street (Highway 50)
Kenosha, WI 53140
(262) 653-7304
Website
Buy Tickets Here
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September 17, 2022 – September 18, 2022
Green County Cheese Days
Monroe is an epicenter of cheesemaking in the heart of Green County – even their high school team name is the “Cheesemakers.” The city and county celebrates every other year Green County Cheese Days, a three-day hullabaloo filled with food, music, dancing, contests, crafts, cheesemaking, cow milking, yodeling, and even Wisconsin’s only parade led by Brown Swiss Cows. After skipping 2020 and 2021 (it’s an every-other-year festival, after all) Green County Cheese Days is back for 2022, happening September 16th through the 18th.
Monroe’s beautiful town square centers around the gorgeous Green County Courthouse and fills up with all the fun. From a beer and Limburger sandwich at Baumgartner’s to the 5K & 10K Cheese Days Chase, from arts & crafts to actual cow milking, Cheese Days is a blast.
You can check out the Children’s Parade on Friday and the main Swiss Colony Cheese Days Parade on Sunday.
Get the schedule and details on all of their events at the Cheese Days website, or below reprinted from their site. Scroll down for more details, including the schedule for the Main Stage lineup!
Highways 11, 59, 69, and 81 all bring you to Monroe. The three days of festivities are also right next to the Minhas Craft Brewery, which is worth a tour, and the lovely trappings of Green County, including New Glarus just up Highway 69. Make a weekend of it!
Green County Cheese Days Address:
1016 16th Avenue
Monroe, WI 53566
(608) 325-7771
Website
Green County Cheese Days Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, SEPT 16
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park off site at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) & ride bus downtown. 5–10 pm
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. 9 am – 7:30 pm
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (10 am–9 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–8:30 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–midnight) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Musical entertainment throughout the weekend. Open all weekend.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open all weekend.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST SIDE of the Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–8 pm)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING: Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–6 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe. Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick – made exclusively for Cheese Days! Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE CORNER (10 am – 9 pm)
BARN QUILT and DAIRY FARM TOUR – Board a bus for a guided tour to one of Green County’s most beautiful family-operated dairy farms. You’ll meet members of the family and their Holstein herd, along with calves, a donkey, rabbit, chickens, guineas, peacocks, ducks, pigs, goats, dogs, and cats. On the way to the farm and back, you’ll see some of Green County’s barn quilts. We guarantee you’ll be entertained along the way by stories from tour guides Lynn Lokken & Kris Winkler – the volunteers who developed the Barn Quilt project. Admission of $5 charged for those 6 and older; ages 5 and under are free. (This is a 2-hour tour. You’ll be back downtown at the festival grounds at 1 pm, so you may want to eat lunch prior to departing.) TODAY – PURCHASE TICKETS AT INFO TRAILER NEAR THE BEER STAND – limited seating 50 tickets will be sold. (Saturday – tickets for sale at Family Farm Adventure Tent) (11 am)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music during the day. Tonight’s street dance – BOOGIE AND THE YO-YO’Z. (Live music today on the main stage from noon til midnight)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen – Master Yodeler (Noon)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (Noon–5 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – John Waelti and Bobbie Edler Accordion Duo (1 pm)
GREENWOODS CEMETERY WALK – sponsored by Green County Genealogical Society and Green County Historical Society – led by local historians. Info: 608.328.7436 or 608.426.1796. (Registration 1 pm; walk at 1:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Keith Zweifel Band (1:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorn Entertainment (3 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Green County Harmony Chorus (2 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (2–8 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (2:45 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (3 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (3:15 pm)
“STREETS OF SWITZERLAND” European Sidewalk Café & Biergarten – Swiss specialties at Turner Hall (3–7:30 pm)
CARNIVAL (Rummel Platz) – “Spring Square” parking lot – south of the Courthouse Square (4 – 11 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Children’s Swiss Music Concert (4:15 pm)
CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE (Chinder Trachte Umzug) – Prince & Princess lead the parade (5 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (5 pm)
OPENING CEREMONY – MAIN STAGE – MC – Scott Thompson of BIG RADIO. Presentation of Colors with Green County Sheriff Dept., ceremonial blowing of Alphorns, presentation of royalty, “Procession of Cheesemakers” (6 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Mascot Theory (Americana, Alt-Folk Rock) (7 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Monroe Swiss Singers (7:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorns led by Heinz and George (8:15 pm)
STREET DANCE (uf der Strass Tanze) – MAIN STAGE – Boogie and the Yo-Yo’z (8:30 pm–midnight)
SATURDAY, SEPT 17
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park offsite at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) and ride the bus downtown. Other stops today include **Historic Cheese Center** and Green County Fairgrounds. (**Historic Cheese Center closes at 4 pm). (Shuttle runs 10 am–10 pm)
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. 8:30 am – 7:30 pm
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (9 am–9 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–8:30 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–midnight) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Musical entertainment throughout the weekend. Open all weekend.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open all weekend.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
FARMER’S MARKET – South of Middle School (8 am–4 pm)
“STREETS OF SWITZERLAND” European Sidewalk Café & Biergarten – Swiss specialties at Turner Hall. (8:30 am–7:30 pm)
CHEESE DAYS CHASE – 5 & 10 k run, & 2-mile fun walk. Presented by Monroe Youth Hockey with sponsor Klondike Cheese Factory. Check in 7:30 am. Race starts PROMPTLY at 9 am. (Kid’s Race at 8:30 am) Click for more info.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm) PARK AND RIDE SHUTTLE STOP TIL 4 PM
VINTAGE TRACTOR DISPLAY – Courtesy of Monroe area antique tractor owners. Take a step back in time and learn how farmers and their tractors played an important role in shaping the agricultural and cheese industry in Green County. You’ll see various “colors” (brands) – meet the owners & talk about their favorite toys! On 17th Avenue between banks and also in First National Bank parking lot. (9 am–5 pm)
MAKER’S MARKET – Just west of the Square; right behind Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern. Shop the booths of creators, fiber artists, hobbyists, wood crafters, photographers, painters, etc, who personally design and make what they sell. (9 am–8 pm)
VENDOR MARKETPLACE – Booths in Library Parking Lot – Commercial vendors, merchandise for sale, businesses & groups promoting products & services. (9 am–8 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST SIDE of the Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–8 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe. Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick – made exclusively for Cheese Days! Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE CORNER (9 am–9 pm)
HEART OF CHEESE DAYS – Exhibit & Sales – Meet artisans who create traditional Swiss folk art and view exhibits of Swiss artifacts and memorabilia brought to Green County by some of the area’s Swiss immigrants. Presented by Monroe Swiss Singers at Turner Hall. Free admission with 2020 CHEESE DAYS BUTTON (or $2 at the door). (10 am–4 pm)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–6 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING – Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–6 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (10 am–8 pm)
CARNIVAL (Rummel Platz) – “Spring Square” south of the Courthouse Square (10 am–11 pm)
KIDS’ STREET (Chinder Schpil Strass) SPONSORED BY TDS – On 16th Avenue by Library. Demonstrations, activities and fun for kids – all free! (Kid’s Street Schedule)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music during the day. Tonight’s Street Dance – Bella Cain! (Live music today from 10:30 am–midnight)
DAIRY FARM TOURS – Board a bus for a guided tour into Green County countryside to visit a family run dairy farm, and to see cows and calves and gain a better understanding of where cheese gets started. $5 admission charged for those 10 and older; under 10 are free. Tickets available in FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT. Length of tour ranges from 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (10:30 am til last bus departs at 3 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (10:30 am)
BARN QUILT and DAIRY FARM TOUR – Board a bus for a guided tour to one of Green County’s most beautiful family-operated dairy farms. You’ll meet members of the family and their Holstein herd, along with calves, a donkey, rabbit, chickens, guineas, peacocks, ducks, pigs, goats, dogs, and cats. On the way to the farm and back, you’ll see some of Green County’s barn quilts. We guarantee you’ll be entertained along the way by stories from tour guides Lynn Lokken & Kris Winkler – the volunteers who developed the Barn Quilt project. Special guest Alice in Dairyland will also be along for the tour! Admission of $5 charged for those 6 and older; ages 5 and under are free. (This is a 2-hour tour. You’ll be back downtown at the festival grounds at 1 pm, so you may want to eat lunch prior to departing.) PURCHASE TICKETS AT FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT ON NE CORNER – limited seating 49 tickets will be sold. (11 am)
MAIN STAGE – Meet the Cheese Days Royalty (11:20 am)
MAIN STAGE – Monroe City Band (Noon)
OLD WORLD CHEESEMAKING DEMONSTRATION (DIE ALT KASEREI “the old cheese factory”) Watch and learn as members of The Foreign Type Cheesemaker’s Association create a 200-pound wheel of Swiss cheese the old fashioned way, in a giant copper kettle. You’ll meet Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers Jeff Wideman and Gary Grossen, who will explain the process and demonstrate the steps. Spectators will have the opportunity to take a turn stirring the kettle with the “Swiss harp” (great photo opp!) After the cheese is “hooped” the cheesemakers will “plug” a block of cheese and demonstrate the grading and judging process using the criteria of the USA and World Championship Cheese Competitions. North of Courthouse. (Noon–4 pm)
COW MILKING CONTEST (Chueh Mälche Wettstriett) – An “udderly” good time thanks to area dairy farmers & their happy herds! Watch as teams compete for prizes – may the most milk win! Located by post office. (1 pm)
MAIN STAGE – David Austin Band (1:15 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – John and Bobbie Accordion Duo (2 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Swiss Miss Dancers (2:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Doo Wop Daddies (3 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (3 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Accordion Four – John, Bobbie, Barb and Mary ( 4 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Alphorn entertainment (4:30 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Cheesemaker Dancers (4:45 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Andy Yaun Ensemble (5 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (5:30 pm)
HOSPITALITY TENT – The Decade (Rock hits from the 70’s thru 90’s) (6:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Wheelhouse (7 pm)
STREET DANCE (uf der Strass Tanze) – MAIN STAGE – To Be Announced. (8:30 pm–midnight)
SUNDAY, SEPT 18
PARK & RIDE SHUTTLE BUS – $1 each trip. Park offsite at Orchid (350 – 21st St.) & ride the bus downtown. Shuttle also stops at Historic Cheese Center until 4 pm. (Shuttle runs 10 am–5 pm)
INFO TRAILER – SW Corner (near Baumgartner’s) – maps, schedules, ask questions, lost and found. (9 am – 5 pm)
FOOD STANDS – Eat your way around the Courthouse Square! Menu/maps at INFO BOOTH. (9 am–6 pm)
CHEESE DAYS STORE – SOUVENIR TENT (Adenke Zält) – t-shirts & sweatshirts, collector buttons, International Harvester toy tractor, logo pint glasses, “udderly good time” drawstring backpacks, Wedgie bobbleheads, canvas tote bags, Swiss cheese earrings. SW corner cross from Baumgartner’s Cheese Store. (9 am–6 pm)
BEER and WINE STAND – SW Corner – near INFO TRAILER. (10 am–6 pm) ****Proceeds from sales at the Cheese Days Beer & Wine Stand go toward the costs of tents, porta potties, electricity, stage entertainment and more – thank you for your support.****
HOSPITALITY TENT (Zält zum Höckle) Sponsored by Colony Brands. NORTH SIDE. Dining area with tables & chairs. Open today til 6 pm.
BIG RADIO DINING TENT – NORTHWEST CORNER. Dining area with tables and chairs. Open today til 6 pm.
CARNIVAL in Spring Square Parking Lot (behind JoAnne’s Dress Shop) – all weekend.
NATIONAL HISTORIC CHEESEMAKING CENTER – Guided tours showcasing the history of cheesemaking. The past comes alive at the century-old Imobersteg Farmstead Cheese Factory. 2018 6th Ave, at intersection of Hwy 69 south and 21st St. (9 am–4 pm) PARK AND RIDE BUS SHUTTLE STOP.
VENDOR MARKETPLACE – Booths in Library Parking Lot – Commercial vendors, merchandise for sale, businesses & groups promoting products & services. (9 am–5 pm)
MAKER’S MARKET – Just west of the Square; right behind Baumgartner’s Cheese Store and Tavern. Shop the booths of creators, fiber artists, hobbyists, wood crafters, photographers, painters, etc, who personally design and make what they sell. (9 am-5 pm)
CHEESE TENT (Chäs Zält) – Cheese for sale. EAST side of Square. Presented by Foreign Type Cheesemakers Assn. Vendors: Emmi Roth USA, Edelweiss Creamery, Landmark Creamery, Klondike Cheese Company, Valley View Cheese, Chula Vista (V&V Supremo), Brunkow Cheese and Decatur Dairy. (9 am–5 pm)
COLONY BRANDS TENT – Celebrating more than 90 years in Monroe! Buy cheesecake-on-a-stick; made exclusively for Cheese Days. Stop in to learn more about the Colony Brands team, our 10 retail brands, door prizes and more! NE Corner. (9 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE (Grossi Bühni) – Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, & Swiss heritage music. Daily schedule at INFO BOOTH. (Entertainment today 10 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Swiss Canton Fashion Show by Wilhelm Tell Usherettes (10 am)
HOSPITALITY TENT – Ecumenical Worship Serivice (10 am)
GREEN COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM – Housed in a Civil War era church. Donations suggested. One block north of Square. (10 am–1 pm)
FAMILY FARM ADVENTURE TENT – Sponsored by Green Co. Farm Bureau, in partnership with 4–H, FFA & other ag groups. Check out a number of educational activities about agriculture; including milking a “cow”, AG Trivia Wheel, coloring station, crop boxes and “Cow Races” back by popular demand! On NORTHEAST corner of Square by First National Bank. (10 am–5 pm; closed during parade)
MINHAS CRAFT BREWERY – guided tours and tasting – “Oldest in the Midwest” with brewing excellence since 1845. Visitor Center and gift shop. Beer & root beer samples. Herb & Helen Haydock’s Collection of Brewery Memorabilia. $12 admission includes guided tour and gift pack ($15 retail value). Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS MICRO DISTILLERY GUIDED TASTING– Hand–crafted, small–batch distilled spirits using old world methods & traditions. Guided Distillery and Liqueur Tasting $12 admission includes 2 cocktails, branded whisky tasting glass & gift bottle to take home. Tours every 15 minutes. (10 am–5 pm)
MINHAS WINERY WINE TASTING & FOOD PAIRING: Guided by Executive Chef Trisha Coughlin and her team, wines paired with different types of artisanal cheeses and other small bites. $12 admission includes guided tasting and food pairing and take home a branded wine glass. ($5 retail value). (10 am–5 pm)
CARNIVAL (Rummel Platz) – “Spring Square” parking lot – south of the Courthouse Square (10 am–6 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (10:30 am)
MAIN STAGE – Goodtime Dutchmen – 3rd Generation Family Polka Band (11:30 am)
THE SWISS COLONY CHEESE DAYS PARADE (Chäs Tag Umzug) – Steps off from fairgrounds at 12:30 pm, arrives downtown approximately 12:45 pm.
MAIN STAGE – UW Marching Band 5th Quarter! (after parade)
MAIN STAGE – Goodtime Dutchmen – 3rd Generation Family Polka Band (3:15 pm)
MAIN STAGE – New Glarus Mannerchor (Men’s Choir) (4:10 pm)
MAIN STAGE – New Glarus Jodlerklub (Yodel Club) (5 pm)
MAIN STAGE – Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler (5:45 pm-6:15 pm)
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January 18, 2020
Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest
The 11th annual Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest brings a ton of brewers and cheesemakers from around Wisconsin and adjoining states to Madison, where you can meet and mingle with them while sampling hundreds of varieties. This is quite the warm, happy, and fun celebration right in the midst of winter.
The Isthmus is celebrating 11 years of the Beer & Cheese Fest, and in true Spinal Tap salute, they’re “turning it up to 11” with more breweries and cheesemakers than ever! Piano Fondue Dueling Pianos will perform and take requests; Silent Disco will also be there providing entertainment.
General admission tickets ($50) grant festival entry from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and include unlimited sampling and an Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest tasting glass. “Premium Tickets” ($85) allow for a more intimate atmosphere with early access to exclusive tappings & tastings from noon – 2 p.m. Premium Ticket purchases also include an official Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest t-shirt, a tasting glass, and a meal from their Food Court Cart inside the Alliant Energy Center. Either way, it’s a great afternoon experiencing some of Wisconsin’s best eats and drinks.
Tickets tend to sell out every year, so if you want to go, score them sooner rather than later. Of course, you must be 21 to attend. Shuttle rides are available from HopCat (222 W. Gorham Street), Great Dane’s Hilldale location (357 Price Place), and One Barrel Brewing Company (2001 Atwood Avenue.) Parking for the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall is accessible through the Main Gate and costs $7. A coat check (it’ll be January, after all) will be available for $2. You can purchase tickets online here. starting October 3rd, 2019.
You’ll find the Alliant Energy Center on Madison’s south side, right off the Beltline (U.S. 12 & U.S. 18) near Rimrock Road and John Nolen Drive. U.S. 14, 51, and 151 and Highways 30 and 113 are all nearby.
Isthmus Beer & Cheese Fest Address:
Alliant Energy Center
1919 Alliant Energy Center Way
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 251-5627
Website
Facebook Event Page
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June 21, 2019 – June 22, 2019
Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival
This free festival offers a wide variety of cheese curd dishes from Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery for sampling, super-fresh and available battered or not with a variety of pairings, dips, and more.
Also enjoy over 30 craft brews to choose from, along with hard ciders, wines, and other local and regional beverages to try with your curds.
Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival Address:
East End Park
U.S. Highways 10/63 at East Wall Street
Ellsworth, WI 54011
(715) 273-6442
Website
Cheese Curd Festival Schedule of Events:
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 – 4 – 10 pm
4:00pm-5:30pm: A Hard Day’s Night (Beatles cover band), Park Stage
4pm- close: Marketplace Vendors
– Part arts and crafts, part farmers market. Browse regional specialties and locally grown, handmade and handcrafted goods.
4pm – 6pm: Craft & Curd: Paired, the ultimate brewery face-off! Five local breweries battle it out for best brew and cheese curd flavor pairing. Who will win? That’s up to you–You’re the judge for this intense (and tasty) competition! Happening at the Tasting Tent
4:30pm – 6:30pm: Little Wing, Point Stage
5pm – Dark: Classic Car Cruise-In & Show, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Lot
6:30pm – 8:30pm: Corks & Kegs Tasting Event. Plan to take part in the tasting experiences offered during the festival. Kegs & Corks adult tasting experiences feature local and regional craft beer, wine and hard cider. A happy hour like no other, enjoy unlimited sampling and light appetizers while visiting with the brewers, crafters and reps. At the Tasting Tent.
6:30pm-8:30pm, Mojo Lemon, Park Stage
7:30pm-9:00pm, Lisa Wenger, Point Stage
SATURDAY, JUNE 22 – 8am – 10 pm
8am: 5K/10K Run
8am-10am: Pancake Breakfast
9:30am: Run Awards, Park Stage
10am: Marketplace Vendors. Part arts and crafts, part farmers market. Browse regional specialties and locally grown, handmade and handcrafted goods. Broadway Street
10am-11:30am: C3 Praise Band, Point Stage
11am-12noon: Milk & Cookie Pairing (while supplies last) The Milk & Cookie Pairing and Farmer Meet & Greet is not to be missed! A great opportunity shake hands with a real farmer and learn about today’s agriculture and what it takes to put food on the tables of families across America. At the Tasting Tent.
11:00am-12:30pm: Tommy Bentz Band, Park Stage
12:30-1:30pm: Ice Cream Tasting, Tasting Tent. Families won’t want to miss the Ice Cream Tasting, a one-hour real dairy flavor celebration featuring creative combinations crafted by the innovative folks from UW-River Falls Food Sciences Department.
12:30pm-2pm: Mark Andrew Band, Point Stage
1:30pm-3:30pm: Brian Naughton, Park Stage
2:00pm-3:30pm: Block Party!, Park Stage. One of the largest cheese tastings in the area. Enjoy cheese right off the ‘block’!
3:00pm-4:30pm: Ross Williams Perry, Point Stage
4pm-6pm: Craft & Curd: Paired. Five regional craft breweries compete for your votes by pairing their favorite craft brew with a custom cheese curd flavor! Which craft and curd pairing will be the winner? That’s up to you when you cast your vote for your favorite. At the Tasting Tent.
4:30pm-6:30pm: Starlette’s Web, Park Stage
6pm-7:30pm: Armadillo Jump, Point Stage
6:30pm-8pm: Corks & Kegs Tasting Event, Tasting Tent. Plan to take part in the tasting experiences offered during the festival. Kegs & Corks adult tasting experiences feature local and regional craft beer, wine and hard cider. A happy hour like no other, enjoy unlimited sampling and light appetizers while visiting with the brewers, crafters and reps.
7:30pm-9pm: Jim Stairs, Park Stage
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December 1, 2018
Midwest Cream Cheese Competition
Beaver Dam is home to one of the premiere Kraft Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese processing plants in the nation. Fittingly, the city annually plays host to the Midwest Cream Cheese Competition with Kraft products as preferred ingredients in any cream cheese recipe. This is one creamy, delicious competition!
This is the 14th annual festival and offers plenty of great dishes for sampling – although the judges get first dibs. It will take place Saturday, December 1st at the St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center on the south side of downtown Beaver Dam. Get the rest of the details (and mouth-watering photos) on their website!
Beaver Dam is easily reached via the U.S. 151 freeway or Highway 33. Highway 26 is also close by.
Midwest Cream Cheese Competition Address:
St. Katherine Drexel Parish Center
511 S. Spring Street
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
(920) 887-8879 (Beaver Dam Chamber office)
Website
March 6, 2018 – March 8, 2018
World Championship Cheese Contest
Preliminary judging rounds for the World Championship Cheese Contest are open to the public for FREE Tuesday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 7. Try some tasty samples as the judges do their thing and narrow it down to finalists and winners.
Then, Thursday night the 8th you can attend the Cheese Champion event. This ticketed event ($25, in advance) lets you sample more than 50 of the best cheese from around the world. International cheese experts will be on hand to show you the intracicies of of cheese evaluation, and of course you can pair cheeses with other foods and craft beers that will be available. The event climaxes with the crowning of the World Champion Cheesemaker!
World Championship Cheese Contest/Monona Terrace Address:
1 John Nolen Drive (U.S. 151)
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 286-1001
Website