The 27th Biennial World Championship Cheese Contest, the world's largest international cheese and butter competition, is coming to Madison's Monona Terrace from March 11 to March 13.
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the contest features public taste testing, judging and awards for contestants. According to the WCMA website, an international panel of 22 cheese experts will evaluate and score 79 classes of cheese and butter.
Entries with the highest average score will be awarded gold, silver or bronze medals. Gold medal cheeses are then judged again and the cheese with the highest average school is named the World Champion.
According to the WCMA, the contest first began in 1957 and the most recent contest in 2006 saw a record-breaking 1,795 entries from 18 countries competing for the title of the world's best cheese.
Cheese and butter makers can enter the competition in teams, a first for this competition. Additionally, fourth and fifth place winners will be recognized with a certificate of merit.
