Hello - Cheese Days is so close I can almost taste those awesome Optimist Cheese curds. This year is going to be so much fun and I can't wait to tell you about it. Let's dive in to what is going on Cheese Days weekend; I can't tell you about everything, but I will point out some highlights and events not to miss.
If you or some of your family and friends are coming from out of town and don't want to drive, utilize the Park and Ride shuttle bus or the tram that will be making frequent trips and stops all around town. Eat your way around the Courthouse Square by getting a taste of Green County. A full menu and map will be available at the Information Booth.
If you haven't picked up your Cheese Days gear yet, you can do so during the festival at the Cheese Days Store, by the Main Stage.
Colony Brands is sponsoring our Hospitality Tent that will be located on the east side of the Square, with musical entertainment plus sampling of cheese, chocolates, wine and beer on Saturday.
What's happening on the Main Stage? Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, and Swiss heritage music during the day and street dances in the evening to midnight.
The North Side Dining Tent is sponsored by Emmi Roth USA and will host special tastings of the 2016 World Championship Cheese, Emmi's Grand Cru Surchoix. Make sure to stop by the Cheese Tent located on the west side of the Square to try and buy cheese, as well as meet the cheesemakers who take pride in creating the cheese.
Did you know that Colony Brands is celebrating 90 years in Monroe and will have door prizes at the Colony Brands tent? Also, buy cheesecake on a stick, a Cheese Days exclusive.
Turner Hall is hosting the "Streets of Switzerland" with authentic specialties at their European Sidewalk Cafe and Biergarten.
Sarah the Cheese Lady will be carving fun and cheesy sculptures near the Hospitality Tent on the northeast side of the Square.
The National Historic Cheesemaking Center will have guided tours on the hour and if you haven't visited the Green County Historical Society Museum, please do.
Thinking about taking up polka dancing? Larry and Sue Buetzer will be giving polka lessons too.
Don't know much about cows? Check out the Family Farm Adventure Tent, sponsored by Green County Farm Bureau, to check out how you measure up to cows and other farm animals, learn what they eat and drink, try "milking" a cow and back by popular demand are the "Cow Races." This will be in a new location on the corner by Wisconsin Bank & Trust.
Don't skip the carnival, located in the Spring Square parking lot, or Kids' Street, sponsored by TDS, with demonstrations, free activities and entertainment for kids of all ages on Saturday.
I am looking forward to the Opening Ceremony of Cheese Days which will take place on the Main Stage, Friday at 4:45 p.m. followed by the Children's Costume Parade, meet-and-greets, talent show and much more after.
Saturday is the Farmer's Market; Arts and Crafts Fair; Cheese Days Chase; Vintage Tractor Display; Vendor Marketplace; Barn Quilt Tour - a guided tour with stories about the quilts and barns; Heart of Cheese Days Swiss Heritage exhibit at Turner Hall; Dairy Farm Tours - a guided tour that visits two local dairy farms in Green County; Cow Milking Contest; and if you haven't ever seen it before, the Old World Cheesemaking Demonstration - an event where veteran cheesemakers make a 200-pound wheel of Swiss cheese the old-fashioned way and you get a chance to help. Activities continue on Sunday with the main event being The Swiss Colony Cheese Days Parade at 12:30 p.m.
If you see any of the Cheese Days Royalty that weekend, stop us and say hello. We love photo ops and getting to know fellow cheese lovers. Can you believe Sept. 16 is almost here? For more information on all of these events and more, please visit cheesedays.com - we'll see you soon.
- Jana Duval Crandall is the 2016 Cheese Days Ambassador
If you or some of your family and friends are coming from out of town and don't want to drive, utilize the Park and Ride shuttle bus or the tram that will be making frequent trips and stops all around town. Eat your way around the Courthouse Square by getting a taste of Green County. A full menu and map will be available at the Information Booth.
If you haven't picked up your Cheese Days gear yet, you can do so during the festival at the Cheese Days Store, by the Main Stage.
Colony Brands is sponsoring our Hospitality Tent that will be located on the east side of the Square, with musical entertainment plus sampling of cheese, chocolates, wine and beer on Saturday.
What's happening on the Main Stage? Yodeling, alphorns, polka bands, and Swiss heritage music during the day and street dances in the evening to midnight.
The North Side Dining Tent is sponsored by Emmi Roth USA and will host special tastings of the 2016 World Championship Cheese, Emmi's Grand Cru Surchoix. Make sure to stop by the Cheese Tent located on the west side of the Square to try and buy cheese, as well as meet the cheesemakers who take pride in creating the cheese.
Did you know that Colony Brands is celebrating 90 years in Monroe and will have door prizes at the Colony Brands tent? Also, buy cheesecake on a stick, a Cheese Days exclusive.
Turner Hall is hosting the "Streets of Switzerland" with authentic specialties at their European Sidewalk Cafe and Biergarten.
Sarah the Cheese Lady will be carving fun and cheesy sculptures near the Hospitality Tent on the northeast side of the Square.
The National Historic Cheesemaking Center will have guided tours on the hour and if you haven't visited the Green County Historical Society Museum, please do.
Thinking about taking up polka dancing? Larry and Sue Buetzer will be giving polka lessons too.
Don't know much about cows? Check out the Family Farm Adventure Tent, sponsored by Green County Farm Bureau, to check out how you measure up to cows and other farm animals, learn what they eat and drink, try "milking" a cow and back by popular demand are the "Cow Races." This will be in a new location on the corner by Wisconsin Bank & Trust.
Don't skip the carnival, located in the Spring Square parking lot, or Kids' Street, sponsored by TDS, with demonstrations, free activities and entertainment for kids of all ages on Saturday.
I am looking forward to the Opening Ceremony of Cheese Days which will take place on the Main Stage, Friday at 4:45 p.m. followed by the Children's Costume Parade, meet-and-greets, talent show and much more after.
Saturday is the Farmer's Market; Arts and Crafts Fair; Cheese Days Chase; Vintage Tractor Display; Vendor Marketplace; Barn Quilt Tour - a guided tour with stories about the quilts and barns; Heart of Cheese Days Swiss Heritage exhibit at Turner Hall; Dairy Farm Tours - a guided tour that visits two local dairy farms in Green County; Cow Milking Contest; and if you haven't ever seen it before, the Old World Cheesemaking Demonstration - an event where veteran cheesemakers make a 200-pound wheel of Swiss cheese the old-fashioned way and you get a chance to help. Activities continue on Sunday with the main event being The Swiss Colony Cheese Days Parade at 12:30 p.m.
If you see any of the Cheese Days Royalty that weekend, stop us and say hello. We love photo ops and getting to know fellow cheese lovers. Can you believe Sept. 16 is almost here? For more information on all of these events and more, please visit cheesedays.com - we'll see you soon.
- Jana Duval Crandall is the 2016 Cheese Days Ambassador