Cheese Dip Championship going strong

November 9-15, 2015

Arkansas first showed it was the epicenter of the cheese dip world in 2010 when the inaugural World Cheese Dip Championship (WCDC) hosted over 6,000 people, served over 225 gallons of cheese dip and offered over 30 different recipes at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. A year later, the second event was held at War Memorial Stadium, and the third on the grounds of the Clinton Library in 2012.

Thousands more came out this year on Halloween, to the pavilion in the River Market, to sample and vote on what they thought was the best tasting cheese dip on earth.

All proceeds from the event benefit Harmony Health Clinic, a provider of free medical and dental services to the uninsured and under-insured in Pulaski County.

Invented in 1935, cheese dip was created by the owner of Mexico Chiquito restaurants, Blackie Donnelly. Local filmmaker, Nick Rogers, released a documentary in 2009 titled, “In Queso Fever: A Movie About Cheese Dip” that explored the history and impact of cheese dip. Roger’s documentary went viral and he was later contacted by a local event planning company about starting a cheese dip competition, and Harmony Health Clinic was designated as the beneficiary of the WCDC, under the non-profit umbrella of the Southern Cheese Dip Academy.  

At the competition, professional and amateur contestants vie for the titles of Big Dipper-Professional and Big Dipper-Amateur, chosen by a panel of judges (of whom the Daily Record’s own Kay Bona was one) through blind tastings. Festival attendees, who vote for their favorites, determine Professional and Amateur divisions. Prizes include monetary awards, WCDC merchandise, and trophies.

The WCDC has been recognized both locally and nationally as one of the best food festivals for its family-friendly atmosphere and the delicious cheese dips that are entered into the competition. 

PHOTO CAPTION:

The team of Cafe@Heifer receive one of their three top awards after the voting was in for the 2015 World Cheese Dip Championship at the River Market in Little Rock on Halloween. Cafe@Heifer, a team competing in the professional division, hit a trifecta by winning the First Place Big Dipper Award, the First Place People’s Choice Award and the prize for Most Innovative and Original Cheese Dip. Left to right are Matt Watson, Christopher Rasch, WCDC Emcee Marc Verbos and Tyler Husser. (Photo by Jay Edwards)