If you’re reading this it’s too late.
That is the title of a now 11 plus year old album. I am not sure if I can tell you a single track on it, or if I even like it. It is likely generational, but as we have wrapped up another summer and it is now Cheese Days weekend, that saying has stuck with me for a couple of reasons.
My understanding of it is that it is a playful phrase for someone or something that has already been successful and reached a legendary status before anyone can really even notice. And so, it is too late.
That is not true of course. Or at least it does not apply to the summer season which is what I am reflecting on right now. We have wrapped a summer season that included a full concert series without a single rainout, our 15th annual summer theme public art installation, Road Trip Main Street Monroe, which featured wood, carvings, metal sculptures, fiberglass, recycled materials, and even ceramics. Then there has also been the addition of Fro-Yodel, Rose House Books, The Pilates Studio, the Eugene Hotel. Frame N Color is celebrating 70 years. The list could go on and on. It is impossible not to notice all that is happening downtown. That is the pre Cheese Days summer wrap up.
And my literal mind is thinking that by the time many of you read this, Cheese Days may be half over.
Main Street was fortunate to once again co-host the community night concert on Thursday. Acting as our final Concert of the Square for the year, it kicked off this year’s Cheese Days Festival and most importantly has become a local night for so many of you at an event that defines Monroe in so many ways. It also gave us the opportunity to recognize the Main Street and Cheese Days Boards of directors their many efforts.
Cheese Days defines Monroe, I think, not just for the sheer number of people it attracts. It can sometimes literally put us on the map. Friday night’s band, Bombargo, last played in Monroe during a pop up concert we had in March of 2025. Since then, their popularity has exploded. Cheese Days was an official stop on their current tour, which places Monroe with Minneapolis, Boulder and Aspen, New York, Boston, Miami, and San Louis Obispo, CA to name a few.
But the reason it defines Monroe even more is the sheer number of people who commit to making the event such a success. Just this week, I discovered that it takes over 250+ volunteer hours for the Morning Optimists to run the cheese curd stand and over 2,100 eggs are used just to make the batter. Many of you likely know that because it is impossible for Cheese Days to be without the volunteers.
As always, I want to give a special shoutout to Noreen Rueckert who has been at the helm of Cheese Days for more than 20 years. Her dedication, leadership, and humility is inspiring. It is easy to volunteer for people when you believe in their vision and their work speaks for itself. It’s motivating beyond words. The sheer number of things that happen as a part of Cheese Days is too long to summarize in any column.
Whether you’re reading this Saturday morning or Sunday night, it does not matter. It has been another beautiful summer season capped by a remarkable multi day event with volunteers giving it their all. And we have noticed.
So, yes. It is too late, but only in the way a multiplatinum rap artist could declare.
— Jordan Nordby is the executive director for Main Street Monroe. He can be reached at MonroeMainStreet@tds.net. Anyone interested in finding out more, including on how to volunteer, can at mainstreetmonroe.org.
