While National Cheese Lovers Day may be every day in true fans’ hearts, the calendar day came and went Jan. 20. In honor of the blessed event, now seems as good a time as any to plan for Wisconsin’s first Art of Cheese Festival, hosted August 14–16, in Madison.
With most families, cheese is a uniting front in the culinary world. The kids love slices, strings and anything that melts, while adults can appreciate the sharper, drunken, goat, spicy and international varieties. No matter your flavor, this event has it in spades, but with a down-home American panache — and where better to celebrate than the home of the Cheeseheads?
As the name would suggest, the Art of Cheese Festival celebrates a variety of delicacies and the incredible effort that goes into creating them. Guests of all ages and palates can attend cheese-making classes, unique pairing tutorials and even how-to lessons on curating the ultimate cheeseboard.
Assorted cheese inside the Fromagination in Madison. Photo: Rtdeleon04 – Dreamstime.com
Take an exclusive cheesy bus tour visiting Wisconsin’s many dairy farms and world-renowned creameries with a slew of locals-only experiences. Between all the learning and behind-the-scenes experiences, don’t worry, there will be tastings — including an elevated four-course dining experience, prepared with local chefs in a stunning setting, all highlighting the region’s award-winning cheeses. The full lineup of participating restaurants will be announced closer to the event.
One aspect of the festival you can count on to fill your cheese cravings? The cheese fair will pop up downtown for a one-stop shop of all things Wisconsin cheese. Meet the makers
, local farmers and creamers while tasting your way through the region’s finest cheese products.
What’s a cheese festival without a well-placed pun? Pack your dancing shoes for the Cheese Ball, featuring live music and entertainment amid more food (cheese-related, of course) and drinks. Dance and shake off some of that dreamy cheese from the weekend and send the festival off with a bang.
Keep an eye on the event’s website for ticket information, news and events being added to the calendar.
With more than 150 years of experience in the cheese-making industry, Wisconsin earned (and maintains) the moniker of the Cheese State for good reason. Bring the kids and see why this state is also known as America’s Dairyland, or head off on a quirky couple’s getaway. Either way, you won’t go hungry.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedTravel Tips
Sep 16, 2026On Location: Experience The Real-Life Settings of Your Favorite Films and TV Shows
Set-jetting is more than just a cute play on words. It’s a travel concept that lets you visit the real-life settings of some of your favorite movies and television shows. At one time you had to go someplace like Universal Studios in Hollywood to visit your favorite movie and television show sets. While you can still take studio tours (the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London is the place to go if you are a diehard fan of the Harry Potter franchise), these days there are filming locations all over the world, and the tourism industry makes visiting them in person as easy as buying a plane ticket.
Sponsored Content
GET TO KNOW TAP FORBIZ
Unlock flexible, refined business travel with TAP Air Portugal’s program, TAP FORBIZ. Developed for small, medium and large Companies, with options for corporate events, TAP FORBIZ offers exclusive advantages adapted to each type of business.
Oceania
Sep 16, 2026InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort Announces 2026 Festive Program
Ring in the holidays in paradise with InterContinental Maldives Maamunagu Resort’s most immersive festive programming yet. Inspired by the surrounding Indian Ocean, these events are themed 12 Pearls of the Ocean, an elegant journey inviting guests to discover a new treasure each day. From Dec. 20, 2026 to Jan. 7, 2027, the 12-day celebration transforms the resort into a stage for live music, Champagne parties, family adventures, wellness rituals and culinary delights.
Cruising
Sep 15, 2026Young Explorers Experience the Arctic with Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises offers something for every traveler, even the youngest ones with its Young Explorers program. Rather than traditional lessons, the program encourages children to explore, ask questions and make their own discoveries. For example, on voyages to destinations like Iceland, Svalbard and Greenland, young guests experience the Arctic through Zodiac rides, shore excursions, wildlife encounters and hands-on learning. Experienced expedition experts, including glaciologist Benjamin Schröter, accompany Young Explorers and help brings subjects, such as oceans, glaciers and polar ecosystems, to life.
Sponsored Content
Best of Both Worlds
Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal’s port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination.
Hotels
Sep 15, 2026Club Wyndham Welcomes Families for Fall Travel
Just because summer is nearly over doesn’t mean family travelers can’t pack up and explore a new destination. In fact, a Club Wyndham study recently found nearly eight in 10 parents feel like they’re running out of time to travel with their kids, and 80 percent of parents wish they had taken more vacations with their children.
ShareThis