Watonga Cheese Festival and Arts Show

Held the second weekend in October, the Watonga Cheese Festival and Arts Show is the biggest shin-dig of the year in Watonga. Events include a cheese tasting line and a cheese food contest, a huge quilt show, a quality art show, classic car show, many tents of crafters, lots of fun on the sidewalks of downtown Watonga with artsy demonstrations and amusements for children and live ‘on stage’ entertainment for all. The big parade will be Saturday at noon with all the things that you love about a parade: bands, floats, clowns, horses, bagpipes, Shriners, Indian dancers and even a few politicians!

Conceived in 1976 as a combination art show and food contest (with cheese as the star), the festival now requires 300 volunteers working year-round to make it happen. Since Watonga has the only cheese factory in Oklahoma, this was an ideal situation for one of the premiere festivals in Oklahoma.

The food contest remains a big draw. Line up in The Cheese Tasting Line. Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, hot pepper cheese, cheese dips and cheese balls will be offered. The cheese fudge is always a big hit. Cheese recipes for what is in the tasting line are available. Cookbooks with recipes of the past Cheese Food Contest winners are for sale.

The Festival hours are 9 am to 6 pm the second Friday and Saturday in October.

For a free brochure and visitors packet, call the Watonga Chamber of Commerce