The World Cheese Dip Championship (WCDC) will be held Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. at Bernice Garden in Little Rock, Ark. Dozens of cheese dips created by professionals and amateurs will be competing and available for public sample. The WCDC will be benefiting Harmony Health Clinic in Little Rock. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the gate.
Eve Yancey, the WCDC chairman of the board, is excited about this year’s competition.
Yancey said the overall goal of the WCDC is, “to have a fun, family oriented event that showcases the Arkansas origin of cheese dip and generates financial support for Harmony Health Clinic, a free dental and health clinic for the uninsured and underserved residents of Pulaski County.”
Each cheese dip entry is eligible for a Judges’ Choice Award and a Peoples’ Choice award. With each ticket purchase, guests will receive two voting chips to vote for their own cheese dip preference. The most recent WCDC was held two years ago.
“The World Cheese Dip Championship took a year off to reorganize, revitalize and revamp the event. This year will be the best ever,” Yancey said.
Juniors Paige Whitman and Katie Clement attended in 2012 after finding out about the event online.
“We were looking up things for Katie’s birthday and it showed up on Little Rock’s website of what they’re doing,” Whitman said. “If you really love cheese, definitely go.”
Clement enjoyed the festival and everything it had to offer.
“Definitely one of the most unique and coolest festivals I’ve been to,” Clement said.
They spent their time at the festival trying unlimited amounts of cheese dips and voting for their favorites.
“It’s definitely just a new experience,” Clement said. “Coming to Arkansas, I didn’t know of all these places that had queso, or all these different people that made it. You can go with your friends and it’s a really fun all-day thing in Little Rock.”
The WCDC is hosting another competition before the event on Oct. 25. Anyone may submit a 200 word writing piece on why they love cheese dip to the WCDC Facebook page. The winner will receive a judge’s seat, two free tickets and a gift card to the Big Dipper’s restaurant, the Judges’ Choice for Professional Contestants.
For more information, visit www.cheesedip.net.
For volunteer opportunities at Harmony Health Clinic, contact Eddie Pannell at executive.director@harmonyclinicar.org.
“It’s a great, cheesy time and the opportunity to support a wonderful cause,” Yancey said.
