Main Street Winchester and Winchester-Clark County Tourism are partnering to bring the Beer Cheese Trail and the Beer Cheese Festival together at long last.

This summer, those who brave the Beer Cheese Trail and complete their Cheese Log at the Beer Cheese Festival presented by Shop Local Kentucky in downtown Winchester on June 9 will receive an exclusive special edition can coolie.

Clark County is the birthplace of beer cheese, and MSW and Tourism both celebrate the unique micro-cuisine through programming: MSW with the Beer Cheese Festival and Tourism with the Beer Cheese Trail. The Beer Cheese Trail was created in 2014 has had several hundred people complete the trail from 30 states and two countries.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Beer Cheese Festival, created by Main Street Winchester (then known as Winchester First).  The festival celebrates a unique aspect of Clark County culture in downtown Winchester. It is also a fundraiser for MSW, which is a program of the City of Winchester. 

Some projects supported by the festival over the last decade include: $50,000 to start the Downtown Winchester Development Investment Fund, ornamental trashcans throughout the downtown district, Maple Street beautification projects, a mural series with local artist Phil May and more.  The festival is organized by a devoted group of volunteers and MSW board members known as The Beer Cheese Festival Committee.

This is not the first time the Beer Cheese Trail and Beer Cheese Festival have worked together. The Beer Cheese Trail is a long-time sponsor of the festival and has a presence at the festival each year, where they spread the word about the Beer Cheese Trail. Downtown has always been a stop on the Trail. In the past, locations have included The Cairn and The Engine House Deli + Pub. This summer, Thirty-Nine Main will be added as the newest edition to the Cheese Log, along with the Beer Cheese Festival.

This year the Beer Cheese Festival is a bonus stop on the Beer Cheese Trail Cheese Log. Those with older Cheese Logs that do not include the festival as a bonus stop may redeem their Log at the Beer Cheese Festival and receive the limited edition can coolie. Cheese Logs may be presented to staff at the Beer Cheese Trail booth, appropriately located near the UK Alumni Charity Beer Garden on Lexington Avenue at the Festival.