Plymouth Chamber of Commerce Announces First-Ever Cheese Capital Festival

The first-ever Plymouth Cheese Capital Festival will be taking place June 23rd and 24th, 2023.  The event reimagines the Family Music Fest and will celebrate the rich heritage of cheese in the city of Plymouth – the “Cheese Capital of the World.”

The two-day celebration is free and open to the public, beginning Friday, June 23 with a concert featuring the Abler/McManus Duo presented by Arch Solar.

In addition to live music, there will be a mac & cheese cooking contest where local restaurants will serve up their best mac and cheese dishes to be judged by local chefs and dignitaries. Plymouth Chamber member businesses will also be offering special deals to the public during the 2-day event.

Saturday, June 24th, will be is a throwback to the Cheese Derby Days that were held in Plymouth in the 1950s. The family fun begins with a parade at 10:00am.  Soon after, there will be a “Cheese Wedge Derby’ where kids — and kids at heart — can purchase a foam cheese wedge to race down the Mullet River. Proceeds benefit the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund. Kids can jump around in the kids play zone, get their face painted, practice milking a cow, and pet the baby calves. There will also be a cheese eating contest sponsored by The Big Cheese.

You can also try many different cheese offerings from local vendors.

Those in attendance will be able to learn about the history of cheese by the Plymouth Historical Society, during one of the presentations at the Plymouth Arts Center as well as other topics covered by local cheese companies – Sargento, Masters Gallery, Sartori, and Great Lakes Cheese such as cheese grading, cheese making, and cheese pairing.

Live music begins at noon on Saturday with all events at Stayer Park Pavilion. See four local bands, including the Abler Boys, Bad Genie, Sister Winchester, and a fan favorite, Charlie Bucket, sponsored by Van Horn Automotive Group, Meinhardt Orthodontics, Arch Solar, and the Plymouth Advancement Association.

At 2:00pm you can have your photo taken with the Famous Racing Sausages presented by Johnsonville Foods.

This is a free event for the public celebrating Plymouth and its Cheese heritage. Activities and schedule may be subject to change as the planning continues. Please watch the Chamber Website  for upcoming info and for parade entry or vendor registration forms.