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2016 Cheese Days kicks off
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Longtime Cheese Days volunteers Pat and Gloria Krutza will be honored as king and queen. (Times photo: Marissa Weiher)
MONROE - Cheese Days 2016 is beginning to take shape as the festival's king and queen, ambassador and parade marshall were introduced and the official button logo unveiled Monday.

The 2016 button logo was designed by Daniella Echeverria of Honey Bee Studio in Madison. Echeverria, who says she has had a passion for art since she was a child, earned a degree in graphic design from Madison College. Her father's family heritage inspires her to do pro bono graphic design for Mayan Families in Guatemala. She says she is passionate about social justice, diversity, and urban agriculture. Her idea for the design was inspired by attending last year's 100th anniversary and seeing the 100 accordions on stage. The button logo will appear on various commemorative items available for sale in the Cheese Days store ahead of time and in the retail tent during the festival weekend.

Dennis Dalton has been selected as 2016 parade marshal. Dalton served as president of the board for the 100th anniversary of the festival last year. He has also served in various volunteer roles in the past including co-chairing the parade and chairing the retail committee.

Jana Duval Crandall has been selected as 2016 ambassador. As ambassador, Crandall will serve as spokeswoman while making appearances to highlight the history and heritage that surrounds not only the event, but the agricultural, dairy and cheesemaking industries of Green County.

Longtime Cheese Days volunteers Pat and Gloria Krutza will be honored as king and queen. For many years, the pair coordinated the festival's most popular tradition, The Swiss Colony Cheese Days Parade. He is vice president of credit delivery with Badgerland Financial and she is a retired kindergarten teacher with Pecatonica Area Schools in Blanchardville-Hollandale.

The remaining members of the Cheese Days "royal family" - the prince and princess - will be selected at a contest on June 11.