A few new additions have been made to the usual unusual lineup for the Watonga Cheese Festival.
The FFA will host a petting zoo across the street from the armory. Expect to see sheep, goats, perhaps some rabbits and pigs, and maybe even a mini or two.
There are more than 30 registered participants for the annual parade that will roll down Noble Avenue beginning about noon.
The Ferguson Home Museum at 521 N. Weigle will hold free tours and there will be a bake sale on site as well, raising funds for the Friends of the Ferguson.
And new this year is a beer garden. You heard that right, a beer garden. It will satisfy those who really love the Cheese Festival but want something besides soda or wine to wash down their cheese.
The city council has passed an ordinance that will allow festival goers to walk around with drinks in hand, within reason.
“You can walk around with your drinks,” said Kim Jenkins, executive director of the Watonga Economic Development Authority. That organization has been putting on the festival since the chamber of commerce went extinct. “We want you to have fun and enjoy yourselves,” Jenkins continued. But, she warned, there will be a police presence out so that the legal age limits on alcohol consumption are observed.
The beer garden is courtesy of Long-Bell Brewing Company out of Clinton. As of press time there was no indication from the brewery as to which of its products it will bring.
According to its website, Long-Bell Brewing Company started out as a lumber company in 1910, in Clinton. Long-Bell purchased the former Washita Lumber Company in that year.
As the former home of Long-Bell Lumber was being remodeled, the original sign was recovered and the dig for history began.
The tap room and brewery sport lumber from the old woodyard and the tap handles and tables were constructed or repurposed from the lumber company as well. The logo is an oak leaf, representing a strong, solid foundation.
According to Long Bell co-owner Sam Brown, the brewery will bring along a couple of its selections, including a German Dunkel and a light selection. The word ‘dunkel’ is German for dark, and of course is a dark beer style. The light beer, Brown said, is a good choice for October, since both pair well with the cheeses that will be available at the festival.
No matter which styles are in abundance or which you prefer, it is a sure bet that the addition of a beer garden will add to the enjoyment of the Cheese Festival and increase its appeal to a whole new audience of fall festival fiends.