MONROE — With Cheese Days less than six months away, it’s time to meet the festival’s king and queen. Mike and Deb Hutchinson are longtime community members whose shared story began decades ago — and whose lives have remained deeply rooted in service and tradition in Monroe.
Both natives of Janesville, Wisconsin, Mike and Deb attended rival high schools — Janesville Parker and Janesville Craig — but their paths first truly crossed when both traveled to Hawaii at the same time on their respective senior class trips. Not long after, Deb — working as a hostess at Bishop’s Buffet in Janesville — recognized Mike when he came in to eat and stopped to say hello. That chance encounter sparked a connection that would lead to marriage and a life together in Monroe.
The couple later attended Blackhawk Technical College, where Deb was studying to become a teacher’s aide and Mike was enrolled in the police academy. Deb went on to earn her four-year degree, studying in La Crosse and Platteville, and became certified to teach kindergarten through eighth grade.
Mike began his career with the City of Monroe Police Department in 1977, choosing Monroe over another opportunity in Delavan. The couple married in 1978. Mike dedicated 22 years to the Monroe Police Department and transitioned into a second career as an agent with Rural Insurance in Monroe.
Deb began her teaching career in 1980 after completing her student teaching at Abe Lincoln Elementary. Encouraged by then-principal Virgil Leopold, she accepted a full-time role teaching fourth grade and later also taught third grade.
Together, Mike and Deb raised two children and now have five grandchildren. Their son, Adam — who served as Cheese Days Prince in 1996 — lives in Door County with his family. Their daughter, Becca, and her family reside in California.
Both Mike and Deb have long histories of community involvement. Mike is a dedicated member of the Monroe Optimist Club, a former Boy Scout volunteer, and also served as a Sunday school teacher. Both are active in their local Methodist Church. The pair also serve as volunteer tour guides at the National Historic Cheesemaking Center.
Their connections to Cheese Days run deep. Through the Monroe Optimist Club, Mike has helped with the group’s popular deep-fried cheese curd stand at both Cheese Days and the Green County Fair — handling everything from cubing cheese to hand-breading curds (though he admits he doesn’t know the secret batter recipe).
Deb has volunteered in numerous Cheese Days roles over the years, from selling and serving cheese curds to assisting with early morning vendor check-in at the arts and crafts fair. She later became involved with the retail store and currently co-chairs the Retail Committee. This summer, you’ll find her working in the Cheese Days Store.
The couple’s memories of Cheese Days reflect both the challenges and the joys of the festival. Mike recalls managing crowded intersections during parades while serving as a police officer, including one memorable moment at 9th Street and 15th Avenue when a persistent driver insisted on turning left — until he made it clear that a left turn would come with a ticket.
Deb remembers helping monitor parade crowds early in her teaching career — an assignment that proved less than glamorous — but also recalls the strong sense of camaraderie and commitment that defines the festival.
“Cheese Days is meant for people to have fun — it’s a homecoming,” said Mike. “It’s also an opportunity for local nonprofit organizations to raise funds that support important causes, like the Monroe Optimist Club’s focus on programs for local youth.”
Deb agrees, noting, “The power of the festival is how the entire community rallies to put this on. There’s a core committee, but it really takes everyone. It speaks to the kind of community we have.”
As king and queen, Mike and Deb will spend the coming months promoting the 2026 festival through appearances, media outreach, and community events. Both say they are especially looking forward to Community Night on Thursday evening — a celebration that honors the many volunteers who make Cheese Days possible.
Their hope for the festival is simple: a safe, joyful weekend filled with good weather and great memories.
Green County Cheese Days will be held September 17-20 in downtown Monroe, exactly where the first festival was held way back in 1914.
Follow Cheese Days on social media to keep up with Mike and Deb’s activities, and visit cheesedays.com for the schedule of events.
