MONROE - The pull of Green County Cheese Days extended across the country as attendees from far and wide converged on Monroe over the weekend.
While many out-of-state attendees were former Green County residents reuniting with friends and family, others were first-timers at the festival.
One group of attendees from Poplar Grove, Illinois, said this was their first ever Cheese Days. Other friends from Illinois had repeatedly begged them to attend, so this year, they finally decided to see what the event was all about, said "Skeeter" Guthrie, one of the four.
"I think my favorite part will maybe be the cheese tent, but the line is just so long," Guthrie said. "So I think we'll check out the beer tent instead."
While all four agreed that the festival was great fun, Guthrie said that they would have to come much earlier next time.
Other Illinoisans are Cheese Days veterans. Colton Sammons, a Wheaton, Illinois, resident, said he attended his first Cheese Days five weeks after he was born.
"So I've been coming here all my life," Sammons said. "I'm 20 years old and I've been to 10 Cheese Days."
Sammons said he had no relatives living in Green County, but his family had made a tradition of attending regardless.
Meanwhile, Ben Tuttle of Bettendorf, Iowa, said he came this year with his father, who has friends who live in Green County.
"It's just nice for the family," Tuttle said. "The parade is beautiful and it's always great to see."
"I'm not happy about all the Packers shirts I'm seeing around, though," Tuttle said. "You guys should do something about that."
While scores of this year's out-of-state attendees came from neighboring states, others visited from farther afield.
Jared Powell, of Brighton, Colorado, attended his first Cheese Days this year because his girlfriend has family in the Green County area.
"It's been awesome so far, it's been a blast," Powell said on Sunday.
Powell said he had been particularly impressed by the musical acts on display at the festival, especially the group "Love Monkeys," who performed Saturday night on the Minhas stage.
A Kansas City, Missouri, resident said she had grown up in Monroe, but still visited when she could.
"I like the Swiss music, and, you know, the Swiss heritage," said Wendi Gelbach. "It feel like a place where my kids can explore and be safe here."
One attendee came from even further away. Becky Winter, who now lives in California, said she returned to Monroe to visit her parents.
"The first thing I bought was a cream puff," Winter said.
Winter said she had lived in Monroe in the 70s and last visited in 2012.
"I came back for the limburger," Winter said. "You can't get that anywhere else."
While many out-of-state attendees were former Green County residents reuniting with friends and family, others were first-timers at the festival.
One group of attendees from Poplar Grove, Illinois, said this was their first ever Cheese Days. Other friends from Illinois had repeatedly begged them to attend, so this year, they finally decided to see what the event was all about, said "Skeeter" Guthrie, one of the four.
"I think my favorite part will maybe be the cheese tent, but the line is just so long," Guthrie said. "So I think we'll check out the beer tent instead."
While all four agreed that the festival was great fun, Guthrie said that they would have to come much earlier next time.
Other Illinoisans are Cheese Days veterans. Colton Sammons, a Wheaton, Illinois, resident, said he attended his first Cheese Days five weeks after he was born.
"So I've been coming here all my life," Sammons said. "I'm 20 years old and I've been to 10 Cheese Days."
Sammons said he had no relatives living in Green County, but his family had made a tradition of attending regardless.
Meanwhile, Ben Tuttle of Bettendorf, Iowa, said he came this year with his father, who has friends who live in Green County.
"It's just nice for the family," Tuttle said. "The parade is beautiful and it's always great to see."
"I'm not happy about all the Packers shirts I'm seeing around, though," Tuttle said. "You guys should do something about that."
While scores of this year's out-of-state attendees came from neighboring states, others visited from farther afield.
Jared Powell, of Brighton, Colorado, attended his first Cheese Days this year because his girlfriend has family in the Green County area.
"It's been awesome so far, it's been a blast," Powell said on Sunday.
Powell said he had been particularly impressed by the musical acts on display at the festival, especially the group "Love Monkeys," who performed Saturday night on the Minhas stage.
A Kansas City, Missouri, resident said she had grown up in Monroe, but still visited when she could.
"I like the Swiss music, and, you know, the Swiss heritage," said Wendi Gelbach. "It feel like a place where my kids can explore and be safe here."
One attendee came from even further away. Becky Winter, who now lives in California, said she returned to Monroe to visit her parents.
"The first thing I bought was a cream puff," Winter said.
Winter said she had lived in Monroe in the 70s and last visited in 2012.
"I came back for the limburger," Winter said. "You can't get that anywhere else."