Events

Art of Cheese Festival in Madison

It’s a big weekend for cheese lovers in Madison. The Art of Cheese Festival is taking over the city with a dozen cheese-centric events.

September 28, 2023 • 
Ally Geiger
Art of Cheese Festival

Learn the ins and outs of Wisconsin’s favorite food. | Photo by Art of Cheese Festival

How much cheese can one Madisonian eat? Find out for yourself at the Art of Cheese Festival.

There are a dozen events this weekend to choose cheese from:

Saturday, Sept. 30

Cheese Fair Off the Square | 100 E. Washington Ave. | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | Free
Sample, purchase, and meet the makers of award-winning Wisconsin cheese.

Cheese Boards | Ellsworth Block, 23 N. Pinckney St. | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–3 p.m. | $125
Receive a board to take home and apply your newly learned skills.

Crafting and Cheese | Old Sugar Distillery, 931 E. Main St. | 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 1:30–3 p.m. | $100
Wood-burn designs into your custom cheese board.

Affinage | MMoCA, 227 State St. | 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:30-2:45 p.m. | $75
Learn about rinds, soaking, aging, and other finishing techniques.

Pairing Wine and Cheese | Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Pl. | 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. | $85
Be educated by a food author and sommelier, both James Beard Award winners.

Pairing Cocktails and Cheese | Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Pl. | 11 a.m.–12:15 p.m. and 1:30-2:45 p.m. | $85
Find out which cheeses pair with your favorite liquor.

Cooking with Cheese | The Deliciouser, 931 E. Main St. | 12-2 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. | $135 and $165
The Deliciouser owner Patrick O’Halloran, and PBS Wisconsin Foodie host Luke Zahm will give pointers on cooking with cheese.

608 Art of Cheese

Learn the art of cooking with cheese with local foodie Luke Zahm. | Photo by Art of Cheese Festival

Pairing Chocolate, Coffee, and Cheese | AC Hotel, 1 N. Webster St. | 1:30-2:45 p.m. | $75
Learn how to incorporate cheese during breakfast and dessert.

Cheese Crawl | Wil-Mar Neighborhood | 3:30-6 p.m. | $85
Stop at Giant Jones, Working Draft, and State Line Distillery for drink and cheese pairings.

An Evening on the Cheese Train | Harvey House, 644 W. Washington Ave. | 8-10 p.m. | $185
A five-course dinner highlighting — you guessed it — Wisconsin cheeses.

Sunday, Oct. 1

Bubbles and Cheese Brunch | Graze, 1 S. Pinckney St. | 9–10:45 a.m. and 12-1:45 p.m. | $95
Chef Tory Miller will prepare a cheese lovers brunch.

Swiss Salutations | Edgewater, 1001 Wisconsin Pl. | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | $65
Cheese-themed yoga on the waterfront followed by coffee, cheese, and pastries.

Fromage your own path

Skip the ticketed events, and opt for a self-guided walking tour instead.

608 cheese map

Take it cheesy on a casual walking tour. | Map via Art of Cheese Festival

The Art of Cheese Festival recommends the following restaurants and cheese-related offerings:

  • The Old Fashioned | Wisconsin fondue
  • Graze | Hook’s curds
  • Plain Spoke | Brandy Old Fashioned paired with Hill Valley Luna
  • Square Wine | Wine parings with Roelli Haus Cheddar or Marieke Mature Gouda
  • Cadre | Widmer’s Brick Spread dish
  • Fromagination | Free insulated tote bag with a $100 purchase, and a free cheese board with a $200 purchase
  • Ian’s | Art of Cheese slice
  • Wisconsin Cheese Mart | 10% off any cheddar aged 10+ years