ELLSWORTH — Ellsworth is getting ready to welcome thousands of hungry visitors as the Cheese Curd Festival returns to East End Park on June 27–28. While the fresh, squeaky curds from Ellsworth Creamery are always the star of the show, this two-day celebration offers a culinary experience that goes far beyond the fryer.
It’s no surprise the Cheese Curd Festival has been named to the USA Today 10Best Specialty Food Festivals list for three consecutive years. With inventive cheese-curd-infused dishes, elevated tasting experiences, and regional flavors that celebrate Wisconsin’s dairy heritage, food is truly at the heart of the event.

At Cheese Curd Central, festivalgoers can indulge in deep-fried curds served hot and golden—whether it’s the fan-favorite Natural, the sweet crunch of Cinnamon Sugar, or this year’s limited-edition specialty flavor: Hot Honey. Created exclusively for the festival, Hot Honey curds deliver a perfect balance of cayenne heat and honeyed sweetness, complete with a side of hot honey for dipping. Only available at the Cheese Curd Festival, each year the limited-edition curds are a can’t-miss tradition for curd lovers from across the region.

But the creativity doesn’t stop there. Just steps away in Food Truck Alley, local vendors put their own spin on curds with inventive dishes that blur the line between indulgence and culinary genius. Each vendor offers their full menu alongside cheese-curd-themed specials crafted just for the event.

“I’m always amazed at the creativity of our food vendors and the way they incorporate cheese curds into their dishes,” says Kim Beebe, Executive Director of the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce. “Of course, the tacos, poutine, and burgers are always fantastic, but it’s the sweet treats that are the best surprise—you wouldn’t normally expect cheese curds in dessert, but it works!”

Here are just a few of the cheese-curd-infused highlights awaiting festivalgoers:

• Holy Donuts tops their maple-glazed Breakfast Donut with bacon bits and curd crumbles, while the Strawberry Shortcake donut gets a whipped-cream and curd finish.
• 2024’s Festival Favorite Award Winner, Cheese Curd Tacos, offers a Brat & Cheddar Cheese Curd Taco alongside a spicy Buffalo version with bleu cheese slaw and a tangy drizzle.
• In Hog-Nito packs bold flavor with a Cheese Curd Brat and the InHognito Burger featuring a crispy curd “skirt.”
• What’s Your Scoop?, named 2024’s Cheese Curd Festival Food Experts’ Pick, turns sundaes into a dairy dream with flavored curd crumbles on top of maple nut or Oreo-inspired ice cream creations.
• In Yeero Dreams fuses Greek street food with Wisconsin flavor in Cheese Curd Gyros and rice bowls loaded with curd crumbles..
• Minneapple Pie revives its cult-favorite InCurdable Pie—a fried apple pie topped with cheese curds and drizzled with warm apple syrup.
• Big Guy’s BBQ Roadhouse delivers comfort classics like Brisket Cheese Curd Poutine Fries and Bacon Jalapeño Cheese Curd Sticks.
• Flippin Good elevates their Loaded Mac Bowl with pulled pork, bacon crumble, and hickory bacon curd crumbles.

Tasting Events for True Curdivores

To take things to the next level, the festival offers ticketed tasting events in the Taste of Wisconsin tasting tent, designed to spotlight Wisconsin’s food and beverage culture.

Craft & Curd pits six regional breweries in a friendly face-off, each pairing a signature brew with a flavored Ellsworth Creamery cheese curd. Attendees sample them all and vote on the winning combo. Expect bold flavors like Summer Citrus Ale paired with Sour Cream & Onion Curds, Pickle Beer paired with Hot Buffalo Curds, and Amber Ale with Hickory Bacon Curds.

Corks & Kegs, part tasting and part happy hour, offers unlimited sampling of over 40 Midwest craft beers, wines, and hard ciders. Each guest receives a souvenir tasting glass, and due to the popularity of the event, a third session has been added this year.

The Block Party Cheese Tasting is a must for dairy die-hards, featuring 25+ cheeses from across the state—aged, spicy, smoked, stinky, and squeaky. Each ticket includes a beverage of choice… and a complimentary prune juice chaser. (Trust us, you’ll thank us later.)

Families can get in on the tasting action during the Milk & Cookie Pairing and Ice Cream Tasting events.

To round out the flavor experience, guests can enjoy wines from Forestville Vines (River Falls) and a variety of regional craft beers and hard cider at the festival bar.

Whether you're coming for the curds, the creative cuisine, or the one-of-a-kind tasting experiences, the Cheese Curd Festival serves up a flavor-packed celebration like no other.

The festival is free to attend and runs 4–10 p.m. on Friday, June 27, and 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Saturday, June 28. Free parking and shuttle service are available throughout the weekend.

Tasting event tickets are on sale now at www.cheesecurdfestival.com/tasting-events.

Submitted by Cheese Curd Festival Committee