One thing I know for certain is that Cheese Days will happen, whether we’re ready or not, on the third weekend of September next year. 

I’ve been involved with the festival since 2003, and on occasion I will hear people comment that since it’s been going on for so long it must just happen. Are they thinking this would be by rote behavior? Or a wave of the wand that causes tents to magically appear? I can assure you that shortly after the last festival wrapped up, the board of directors and other key volunteers began to plan. Here are some things that are in progress or already in place as we start the one-year countdown to Cheese Days 2020.

Entertainment Stages: most of the main acts have been booked, and others are being penciled in. Get ready to “Boogie with Boogie” on Friday night and “Doo Wop with the Daddies” on Saturday afternoon. There will be a new polka band for Saturday afternoon, and a new headliner for Saturday night will be announced when the contract is finalized.

Collector Button and Souvenirs: The button logo will be unveiled in November when board members, dignitaries, royalty and honored guests come together for the 2020 Cheese Days Festival Kick Off. The button design is whimsical and Swissy. You’ll see it on apparel, pub glasses, tote bags and more. The Retail Committee will also be presenting a third-in-the-series Red Wing crock, a fourth-in-the-series collector toy tractor, and they are working on magnet sets, jewelry, flour sack dish towels, and caps.

Royalty and Dignitaries: The king and queen are ready to represent the festival, an ambassador is on board to assist with marketing and publicity, and the parade marshal is set to lead the parade. They’ll all be announced at the Kick Off. When a prince and princess are selected next June, the “royal family” will be complete.

Commercial Vendors: Applications will soon be available for download from cheesedays.com. Commercial vendors will again be located in the Monroe Library Parking Lot. Popular booths at the last festival included Sherwood’s Fabulous Fudge, Kiss My Grass Soapery, LulaRoe, The Nutman, and Bullseye Bow. 

Maker’s Market: For 2020, the vendor area located in the surface parking lot behind Baumgartner’s (former parking ramp) will transition from being an arts and crafts fair to a “Maker’s Market.” It will be open to creators of all kinds — like artists, woodworkers, photographers, painters, crafters and hobbyists who design and make what they sell. Categories potentially include fiber arts, apparel, home goods, jewelry, bath and body, original designs, upcycled vintage and repurposed salvage.

Leadership: With several dozen committee and project chairpersons coming together to make things happen, there’s always a need for more volunteer leaders. The board is looking to break the parade down into smaller parts and sub-committees, for example someone to schedule convertibles/drivers and to be there on parade day to get dignitaries into the right cars with the right signage. The board also needs chairpersons to head up two new committees being developed (Parking, Safety), and would like to bring in a Waste Management trainee to learn the porta potty and dumpster business. For a complete list of leadership positions that are open (and corresponding job descriptions) contact the Cheese Days office at 608-325-7771 or email cheesedaysfestival@gmail.com.

The most important element already in place for the festival is a proud history that dates back to 1914. Let the countdown begin: Green County Cheese Days — September 18-20, 2020. 

— Noreen Rueckert is director for Green County Tourism and Green County Cheese Days, and helps out with Main Street Monroe’s Concerts on the Square. Her favorite cheese is rumored to be Feta. She has the best office in the county — overlooking Monroe’s Square from the tower of the Historic Green County Courthouse. She dabbles in photography and graphic design, adores cats and iced coffee, and secretly loves the Cheese Days Song.