MONROE — Although several months will pass before the 2020 Cheese Days event descends upon Green County, the excitement didn’t wane at a special kickoff to preview the event Nov. 4 at the Green County Courthouse.
Farewell speeches and announcements of the new dignitaries for the 2020 event were the evening’s highlights, along with alphorns being played and Del Heins entertaining on accordion. Appetizers of the evening featured local fare including, of course, cheese.
Directors of Green County Tourism and Cheese Days Noreen Rueckert assured the guests in attendance that although the event only happens every other year, it isn’t so they can take a break.
“We’re not resting – we’re working,” Rueckert said with a smile.
Local Historian Sherry Anderegg shared the original “Cheese Days Song” by reading it aloud. It was written before the more widely-known Rudy Burkhalter tune and was sung to the tune of “School Days,” a song recognized by many in attendance.
Cheese Days Board President Judy Meier gave a sneak peek into what Cheese Days 2020 would look like, and said the Thursday night Concerts on the Square event will again be part of the festival, but a band hasn’t yet been selected. Friday night will feature “Boogie and the Yo-Yo’z,” which was a crowd favorite in 2018 and Saturday night “Bella Cain” will be the highlight.
The popular Cheese Days Parade will be host to a giant inflatable cookie monster and the University of Wisconsin Marching Band, who will return for a traditional fifth quarter on the main stage.
Drew Nussbaum, regional tourism specialist with the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, also made an appearance, applauding audience members, volunteers, businesses and the community for everything Cheese Days brings to Monroe and the state.
“This is such an amazing event,” he said. “We get this opportunity to showcase not only an amazing town … but this is Wisconsin.”
The sponsors for the event were also honored by Sponsorship Chair Dennis Everson and the 2020 whimsical button was revealed by Kay Argue and Shauna Bergemann. New T-shirts, tote bags, glassware, cinch sacks and bracelets were among the many goods on display. There will be a two-day sale in December for those looking for holiday gifts.
Notable people for 2020 Cheese Days
Applause sounded and the “Chicken Dance” played as Donna Douglas was announced as the 2020 Cheese Days Parade Marshal, dancing her way to the podium donning a cheese head, sunglasses and bringing those around her to join the fun.
Douglas has served on several boards and committees at the township, county and city level throughout Green County and currently serves as the Director of the National Historical Cheesemaking Center and as an alderman for the Monroe Common Council. She has been a strong supporter of Cheese Days, previously having chaired the Arts and Crafts Show, sold beer tickets and, at the 2018 festival, she and Cheese Days mascot Wedgie led the crowd in the festival’s biggest Chicken Dance ever.
“Without a doubt, she’s this area’s biggest tourism supporter,” Rueckert said of Douglas.
Douglas reminisced about the first Cheese Days in her memory, around 1950 when her mother made cheese sandwiches and many were washed down the sidewalk after the day was filled with rain.
“I’m sort of speechless tonight,” Douglas said. “It really is an honor for me. Tourism is my passion. This is a culmination of everything we’ve all worked for … I love Green County and I love the state of Wisconsin – so thank you very much.”
Ambassador Tess Zettle announced the 2020 Cheese Days Ambassador as Molly Minder, the former Browntown Dairy Queen and 4-H and FFA member, now a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville who is majoring in agribusiness with an emphasis in marketing and communications. She was an intern last summer with Chalet Cheese Co-op and also helps out on her family’s fourth-generation dairy farm, the site of the 2019 Green County Breakfast on the Farm.
“I’m beyond excited to be your 2020 Cheese Days Ambassador,” she said. “The dairy industry is what makes this festival and this community so great.”
For the 2020 event, Ed and Mandy Pas will take the reins as the Cheese Days King and Queen. The couple has a long history tied to Cheese Days operations and promotions. As festival volunteers for nearly 40 years, they have worked on the parade nearly every festival, while chairing it from 1990 through 2000. Mandy has also chaired the Arts and Crafts Show. Ed has served for many years on the Cheese Days Board of Directors and also co-chairs “Food Concessionaires” which involves working with food vendors, setting up layout of the Square, ordering tents, arranging for electricity and more.
“We’re looking forward to doing this,” Ed Pas said.
A special highlight of the evening was an appearance by Tyse Hoesly and Lauren Stelter, who served as prince and princess of the 2018 festival. Their successors will be selected at a contest set for June 6.
Entertainment for the evening included Del Heins on accordion, and alphorn duo George Albright and Heinz Mattmann.
