While the number of entries may not reach a record, spectators will be returning when the World Championship Cheese Contest reconvenes at Monona Terrace next month, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
In 2022, COVID-19 precautions barred the public from attending the biennial competition in person. However, this year’s event will allow visitors to witness the preliminary rounds firsthand from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both March 5 and 6. Admission is free, offering attendees the chance to indulge in cheese tastings and observe an esteemed panel of international judges evaluate the entries.
Although the Championship round on March 7 remains closed to the public, enthusiasts can still catch the action live online starting at 2 p.m. via WorldChampionCheese.org and the contest’s Facebook page.
Presented by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association since 1957, this year’s contest boasts 3,302 submissions encompassing cheeses, butters, yogurts, and dairy ingredients from over 400 dairy manufacturers hailing from 32 states and 25 countries. While the 2020 event, held just before the pandemic, featured a record-breaking 3,667 entries, the 2022 competition saw just 2,978 submissions.
