MONROE - The opening ceremony for Cheese Days 2014 was like no other before it.
On the 100th anniversary of the grandest festival in Green County, for the first time in its history, the Procession of Cheesemakers highlighted 15 of the area's leading cheesemakers, who took their rightful places at center stage among Cheese Days royalty and ambassadors Friday afternoon.
Special guest John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, introduced the cheese masters - some of the best in the world, as well as Ivan and Marlene Gobeli, who made cheese at the now-closed Franklin Cheese Factory, southwest of Monroe.
Steve Stettler, president of the Foreign Type Cheesemakers Association, presented Ron Bechtolt from Klondike Cheese Company with the 2014 Cheese Days Grand Champion Cheesemaker award. Klondike received the accompanying traveling trophy, which Ron Buholzer accepted on behalf of the family-owned company.
The "Big Cheese" award was presented to the Gobelis for their life-long commitment to the cheesemaking industry.
Cheese Days 2012 Queen Becky Wegmueller crowned Diane Phillips as the 2014 queen, who in turn pinned her husband Duke as king for 2014. The late John Wegmueller, who was king in 2012, was among the many people recognized during the ceremony as having contributed much to the cheese industry and have died since the last Cheese Days celebration.
Diane Phillips said the celebration this year has been years in the making and brought about as a "labor of love" by the many volunteers.
"We can always use another volunteer," she added.
She also noted the first procession of cheesemakers to the Cheese Days stage and thanked them, calling them truly Green County ambassadors.
Cheese Days Princess Christina Grenzow and Prince Elsen Gratz were introduced, and Cheese Days Ambassadors Breinne Hendrickson and Sarah Sacker gave brief comments, as did Monroe Mayor Bill Ross and Green County Board Chairman Art Carter.
Alphorns signaled the opening and closing of the ceremony. The Green County Sheriff's Department Honor Guard led the procession. The brisk afternoon winds caused the posting of the flags to be canceled. Master of Ceremonies Virgil Leopold gave the welcoming address. The Monroe Swiss Singers, directed by Deborah Krauss Smith, sang the U.S. national anthem and the Swiss national anthem.
On the 100th anniversary of the grandest festival in Green County, for the first time in its history, the Procession of Cheesemakers highlighted 15 of the area's leading cheesemakers, who took their rightful places at center stage among Cheese Days royalty and ambassadors Friday afternoon.
Special guest John Umhoefer, executive director of the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, introduced the cheese masters - some of the best in the world, as well as Ivan and Marlene Gobeli, who made cheese at the now-closed Franklin Cheese Factory, southwest of Monroe.
Steve Stettler, president of the Foreign Type Cheesemakers Association, presented Ron Bechtolt from Klondike Cheese Company with the 2014 Cheese Days Grand Champion Cheesemaker award. Klondike received the accompanying traveling trophy, which Ron Buholzer accepted on behalf of the family-owned company.
The "Big Cheese" award was presented to the Gobelis for their life-long commitment to the cheesemaking industry.
Cheese Days 2012 Queen Becky Wegmueller crowned Diane Phillips as the 2014 queen, who in turn pinned her husband Duke as king for 2014. The late John Wegmueller, who was king in 2012, was among the many people recognized during the ceremony as having contributed much to the cheese industry and have died since the last Cheese Days celebration.
Diane Phillips said the celebration this year has been years in the making and brought about as a "labor of love" by the many volunteers.
"We can always use another volunteer," she added.
She also noted the first procession of cheesemakers to the Cheese Days stage and thanked them, calling them truly Green County ambassadors.
Cheese Days Princess Christina Grenzow and Prince Elsen Gratz were introduced, and Cheese Days Ambassadors Breinne Hendrickson and Sarah Sacker gave brief comments, as did Monroe Mayor Bill Ross and Green County Board Chairman Art Carter.
Alphorns signaled the opening and closing of the ceremony. The Green County Sheriff's Department Honor Guard led the procession. The brisk afternoon winds caused the posting of the flags to be canceled. Master of Ceremonies Virgil Leopold gave the welcoming address. The Monroe Swiss Singers, directed by Deborah Krauss Smith, sang the U.S. national anthem and the Swiss national anthem.