Wisconsin cheese curd festivals: the directory
Wisconsin hosts more cheese-themed festivals than any other state. The Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival, held annually in the official Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin, is the country's largest dedicated celebration of the squeaky little dairy obsession. This is the directory of cheese curd festivals and cheese-adjacent events worth planning a trip around.
One state. Eight-plus annual festivals. A summer schedule that runs cheese-curd-shaped from April through October.
Always verify current-year dates. Festival dates shift annually, sometimes by several weeks. The dates listed here are from the 2026 schedule as published by each festival's official channels; 2027 dates will be added as each festival announces them. Before booking travel, check the festival's official website for confirmation.
Tier 1: The dedicated cheese curd festivals
Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival
Ellsworth, WI · 2027 dates TBA (2026: June 26-27) · 23+ year tradition
The flagship event. Held annually in Ellsworth, Wisconsin — designated the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin by Governor Anthony S. Earl in 1984. The festival has been running for more than 23 years and was named the #4 Best Specialty Food Festival in the country by USA Today. Estimated attendance is around 30,000 visitors.
The festival covers Broadway Street and surrounding downtown Ellsworth. Free admission. The 2026 edition ran Friday, June 26 from 4pm-10pm and Saturday, June 27 from 10am-10pm.
Expect: hand-battered deep-fried cheese curds with multiple signature sauces, creative cheese curd dishes (curd tacos, curd ice cream sundaes, exclusive dessert curds), the Cheese Curd Eating Contest, multiple craft beer and cheese curd pairing competitions, live music across multiple stages, a car show, a festival market with regional artisans, and family activities including a kids' zone. Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery (the official Cheese Curd Capital creamery) hosts events around the festival.
Official: cheesecurdfestival.com
Tier 2: Major Wisconsin cheese festivals (curds prominent)
Plymouth Cheese Capital Festival
Plymouth, WI · Summer
Plymouth, Wisconsin is the historical home of the National Cheese Exchange (founded 1918), which set commodity prices for bulk cheese for decades. The city self-identifies as the Cheese Capital of the World (a distinct title from Ellsworth's Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin). The Cheese Capital Festival reflects this heritage with a parade, live music, cheese eating contest, foam cheese race (real thing), children's activities, and substantial cheese vendor presence including local curd producers.
Official: plymouthwisconsin.com
Wisconsin State Fair
West Allis, WI · Early-to-mid August
Not exclusively a curd festival, but historically the single largest concentration of fried cheese curd vendors in Wisconsin. Multiple curd vendors compete annually. Beer gardens, dairy-judging competitions, and direct cheesemaker booths all factor in. If you can only attend one Wisconsin event in a year and you want maximum cheese curd variety in one place, the Wisconsin State Fair is a strong choice.
Official: wistatefair.com
Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival
Madison area, WI · Late September
An upscale, multi-day event organized in part by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Includes hands-on workshops, creamery tours, cheese-and-bourbon pairings, cheese-and-wine pairings, and curated tastings. Cheese curds appear among the broader Wisconsin cheese portfolio rather than as the central feature. Best for the cheese aficionado / industry-curious crowd.
Official: artofcheesefestival.com
Colby Cheese Days
Colby, WI · Summer
Colby, Wisconsin is the namesake home of Colby cheese (a Wisconsin-developed variety, named after the town). Cheese Days features a lively carnival, parade, 5K/10K race, car show, peddle tractor pulls, street dances, and (notably) free Colby cheese distribution. Curds are widely available at the festival but Colby cheese itself is the main draw.
Official: travelwisconsin.com
Blair Cheese Festival
Blair, WI · 2027 dates TBA (2026: September 24-27)
A four-day late-September festival in Blair, Wisconsin, featuring a truck and tractor pull, 5K run, car show, and a variety show performed by local school groups. Cheese vendors, including curds, are part of the celebration but the festival has a broader small-town fair character.
Official: blaircheesefestival.com
Tier 3: Cheese-and-beer (and cheese-curd-adjacent) festivals
Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival
Kenosha, WI · 2027 date TBA (2026: April 18)
An April pairing event combining Wisconsin craft beer with Wisconsin cheese. Curds appear prominently among the cheese offerings, often paired with specific beer styles for educational tasting flights.
Official: kenoshabeerfest.com
Beer and Cheese Fest (Madison)
Madison, WI · Annual (15+ year tradition)
A long-running Madison event combining unlimited beer and cheese samples. Cheese curds typically feature alongside aged cheddars, gouda, and specialty styles. Tickets include a designated-driver option. The general admission price for past years has been around $74 (early-bird pricing available).
Official: beerandcheesefest.com
Curdtoberfest
Various Wisconsin locations · October
A loose, evolving October concept that several Wisconsin venues have adopted to combine National Cheese Curd Day (October 15) energy with Oktoberfest beer-and-cheese pairings. Format varies by year and venue. Local breweries and supper clubs tend to host versions. Watch local listings.
Official: culvers.com
Planning a cheese curd festival trip
A few practical suggestions for anyone planning their first cheese-curd-focused Wisconsin trip:
- Book lodging early for Ellsworth. The Cheese Curd Festival draws ~30,000 to a small town. Local lodging fills months out. Nearby River Falls and Hudson have more rooms.
- Build in creamery visits. Most festivals are near working creameries that welcome visitors. Plan a creamery tour before or after the festival. See our recommended cheese curds.
- Bring a cooler. Most festivals have direct creamery booths where you can buy fresh curds to take home. A cooler lets you transport them safely.
- Sample widely. The educational value of a curd festival is tasting many producers side by side. Get small portions from multiple vendors rather than committing to one.
- Pair with poutine. Some Wisconsin restaurants near festival sites offer poutine featuring local cheese curds. A good day-after meal.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival?
The 2027 Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival dates have not been announced yet. The 2026 festival ran June 26-27 in downtown Ellsworth, Wisconsin. The festival is an annual late-June tradition. Always verify the current year's dates on the official website (cheesecurdfestival.com) before booking travel.
Is the Cheese Curd Festival free?
Yes. Admission to the Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival is free. Food and drinks at vendor booths are individually priced. Other Wisconsin cheese festivals vary — the Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival and Beer and Cheese Fest (Madison), for example, are ticketed events.
What's the biggest cheese curd festival in Wisconsin?
The Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival, held annually in Ellsworth, Wisconsin (the official Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin). Estimated attendance around 30,000. It was named #4 Best Specialty Food Festival in the country by USA Today.
Are there cheese curd festivals outside Wisconsin?
A few smaller events exist in neighboring Upper Midwest states (Minnesota, Iowa). The Minnesota State Fair (St. Paul, late August) has historical importance as the cited official debut location of fried cheese curds (1975) and features multiple curd vendors. Most dedicated cheese curd festivals remain a Wisconsin tradition.
When is the best month to visit Wisconsin for cheese curd festivals?
June and August are the strongest months. June brings the Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival (the flagship). August brings the Wisconsin State Fair (the most vendor variety). Late September and October offer the Art of Cheese Festival and Curdtoberfest events. April through October covers the active festival season.
Festivals are the gateway. Creameries are the destination.
Browse the verified recommended cheese curds to find creameries worth visiting near festival locations.