Love Cheese? Check Out This Huge Festival in Minnesota

Summer is officially here!  Ok...I know the calendar doesn't technically show that the summer season has started but the summer events are here in Southeast Minnesota!  And one of the best involves a town that is all about cheese.

No, for real.  The small town in Minnesota has a whole festival centered around cheese.  If you don't believe me, see it for yourself starting Friday, June 2nd.

Pine Island Cheese Festival Gearing Up For Another Year of Fun for All in Southeast Minnesota

One of the best events in Southeast Minnesota is the Pine Island Cheese Festival.  If you've never been to it, clear your calendar now.  Not only will you enjoy fireworks, a parade, but there is also a duck race!  Obviously, there is a lot more of fun too.  See the full schedule and directions below.

Everything You Need to Know About the Pine Island Cheese Festival in Minnesota

WHERE:  Pine Island, Minnesota (Get Directions Here)

Schedule of Events for the Pine Island Cheese Festival 2023

Friday, June 2nd

• 12:00pm to 5:00pm - History Center Open House
• 5:00pm to 11:00pm - Trailhead Park Food Vendors
• 5:00pm to 11:00pm - Carnival
• 5:00pm to 12:30am - Cheese Festival Beer Garden
• 5:00pm - First clue for the golden nugget
• 7:00pm - Cheese Festival Duck Race
• 5:00PM to 8:00PM - Pine Island Pickleball Tournament
• dusk - Fireworks

Saturday, June 3rd

• 8:00am to 11:30AM - Pine Island Pickleball Tournament
• 8:00am to 11:00AM - Pine Island Wrestling Booster Club pancake breakfast
• 8:30AM - Pine Island Ribbon Run 5K
• 8:30AM to 11:30AM - Kids Day with Miss Angie's Place
• 9:00am - Golf Tournament
• 10:00am to 6:00pm - Craft and Vendor Market
• 11:00am to 11:00pm - Trailhead Park Food Vendors
• 11:00am - Trailhead Grill Volleyball Tournament
• 12:00pm to 5:00pm - History Center Open House
• 12:00pm to 11:00pm - Carnival Midway
• 1:00pm to 7:00pm - Cheese festival beer garden
• 1:30PM - Mega sxse pong game
• 8:30pm to 12:30am - Saturday night entertainment

Sunday, June 4th

• 9:00am - 12:00pm - American Legion Omelet Breakfast
• 9:00AM and 10:30AM - Community Hymn Sing
• 10:00am to 4:00pm - Craft Fair and vendor market
• 11:00am to 7:00pm - Trailhead park food vendors
• 12:00pm to 5:00pm - History Center Open House
• 12:00pm to 7:00pm - Carnival midway
• 1:00pm - Cheese Festival Grand Parade

Learn more about each event on the Pine Island Cheese Festival website.

Why Is It Called the Pine Island Cheese Festival?

There has to be a great story if a town has a festival centered around cheese, right?!  In the case of Pine Island, it is true!  According to pineislandcheesefestival.com, a large amount of families that settled in the Pine Island area were experts in the form of cheese-making.  Pine Island became known as the place for high-quality and affordable cheese.

Unfortunately, by 1936, business started to get slow for the cheese community and the producers tried to get everyone to eat more cheese and held the first Cheese Festival on September 29-30, 1936.  Samples of the best cheese were judged, cash prizes were awarded, a Ferris wheel, merry-go-round, concession stands, dancing girls, fireworks, speakers, a dance, and more were all part of the inaugural event.

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