In Celebration of Cheese

It's almost time for Green County Cheese Days in Monroe, Wisconsin (September 15-17).

Back in 1914, the concept of Cheese Days originated from the notion that if some little town in Illinois could have a festival commemorating sauerkraut, then a celebration based on cheese would be an even better idea.

Historical Cheese Days facts:

• 1914 - Five Monroe businessmen attend Sauerkraut Day in Forreston, Illinois, and return home to prepare for Cheese Day in just 19 days

• 1915 - Cheese Days program includes an “Ode to Limburger”

• 1916 - Festival attendees watch as Fred Steinman turns 2,000 pounds of milk into a giant wheel of cheese
  

• 1916 - Festival has a Circus parade theme titled "Panorama of Cheeseland”

• 1917 - 4 mile long parade includes 150 decorated cattle led by Swiss costumed dairy maids

• 1923 - A 400 pound wheel of Swiss cheese is created on the square, requiring 4500 pounds of milk

• 1935 - Cheese Days nearly fades into extinction due to the Great Depression, but is revitalized in 1935

• 1940 - Mrs. William Chambers of Juda wins the cow milking competition by getting nearly 20 pounds of milk from the cow in three minutes

• 1955 - Winner of contest to guess how many holes in a wheel of Swiss cheese receives 20 pound block of Swiss

• 1967 - UW Madison marching band plays "Come to Cheese Days" song during parade

• 1974 - Alphorns blown from atop the 120-foot Green County Courthouse clock tower to herald the opening of the festival

• 1980 - Cheese Days Ball held at Turner Hall, with Max Drexler's Bavarian Band entertaining

• 1988 - After not milking a cow for 45 years, Helen Summers Davis walks away the winner of the cow milking contest

Kitschy before kitschy was cool.