Known as the “Oldest Food Fest in the Midwest”, Green County Cheese Days is a celebration rooted in heritage and tradition. It began back in 1914 when leftover cheese was made into cheese sandwiches that were handed out for free, but it has evolved into a festival that showcases Green County.
Lynn Lokken helps with the farm tours at the festival, and she has always had ties to Cheese Days. She shares more about the history of the festival and how it has evolved to incorporate various aspects of the county.
Lokken says that the festival attracts visitors from all over the country – and even some international visitors. The festival regularly draws in Switzerland visitors who are excited to celebrate Swiss heritage in the Green County area.
“They feel at home because we are a little Switzerland,” Lokken says of the Swiss guests. “You can polka on the square… a lot of us dress up in dirndls and milking shirts.”
Over the years, the festival has evolved from free cheese sandwiches to a weekend-long celebration that includes a parade, brewery highlights, shopping, and farm tours.
Green County Cheese Days is held every September on even-numbered years. This year it will be held from September 16-18. For more information, visit cheesedays.com.
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