MONROE - They came from across the country and even as far as Switzerland for all Green County Cheese Days has to offer.
For the 100th anniversary of Cheese Days, crowds packed the Square downtown with smiling faces. Sure getting around was hard, but the complaints were light on the breezy Saturday afternoon.
A retired couple from Duluth, Minn., Larry and Deb Larson said this was their first Cheese Days but they had always wanted to come.
"If the rain skips us, this ought to be a really great day," Larry said. As it was, a light shower in the afternoon barely deterred the crowd.
Deb, a retired school teacher, said her favorite part of Cheese Days was the entertainment.
"I can't believe they got a band from Switzerland down here," she said, referring to Aarelander Musikanten, a brass band from Switzerland. The band played rousing Swiss tunes in performances each day during Cheese Days. The band was invited to the festival after members of the Cheese Days board saw them perform while on a trip to Switzerland.
Kelsey Capnuck, Chicago, said she and a couple of friends drove up Friday with the intent to stay one night. But they ended up sticking around.
"We just couldn't say no," Capnuck said. "My wallet doesn't like it, but we got a couple more nights at the motel."
Among the fresh faces from outside the state, there were many Wisconsonites having their first taste of the festival. Nina Borokhim and Kate Salkin came down from Madison Saturday afternoon and agreed they wished they had come to previous Cheese Days.
"It's world famous," Salkin said.
Salkin and Borokhim both graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison about a year ago and they finally had the time and funds to make it down to Monroe. Borokhim said she had to try the Optimists fried cheese curds but didn't relish the idea of waiting in line.
"I heard it's around the block. I hope they're worth it," she said.
For the 100th anniversary of Cheese Days, crowds packed the Square downtown with smiling faces. Sure getting around was hard, but the complaints were light on the breezy Saturday afternoon.
A retired couple from Duluth, Minn., Larry and Deb Larson said this was their first Cheese Days but they had always wanted to come.
"If the rain skips us, this ought to be a really great day," Larry said. As it was, a light shower in the afternoon barely deterred the crowd.
Deb, a retired school teacher, said her favorite part of Cheese Days was the entertainment.
"I can't believe they got a band from Switzerland down here," she said, referring to Aarelander Musikanten, a brass band from Switzerland. The band played rousing Swiss tunes in performances each day during Cheese Days. The band was invited to the festival after members of the Cheese Days board saw them perform while on a trip to Switzerland.
Kelsey Capnuck, Chicago, said she and a couple of friends drove up Friday with the intent to stay one night. But they ended up sticking around.
"We just couldn't say no," Capnuck said. "My wallet doesn't like it, but we got a couple more nights at the motel."
Among the fresh faces from outside the state, there were many Wisconsonites having their first taste of the festival. Nina Borokhim and Kate Salkin came down from Madison Saturday afternoon and agreed they wished they had come to previous Cheese Days.
"It's world famous," Salkin said.
Salkin and Borokhim both graduated from University of Wisconsin-Madison about a year ago and they finally had the time and funds to make it down to Monroe. Borokhim said she had to try the Optimists fried cheese curds but didn't relish the idea of waiting in line.
"I heard it's around the block. I hope they're worth it," she said.