The Internationally Renown
Cheese Rolling At Cooper’s Hill Inspires Another Global Event,
This Time In Belfast, Maine (U.S.A.)
The Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s
Hill already boasts sister events in New Zealand and Canada, Now the U.S.A.
joins this select band of enthusiasts, each with their own variation of the
event, but inspired by the famous Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill
Gloucestershire in the UK.
The Following information,
comment and a special invitation to Gloucestershire’s Cheese Rollers has been
received from Bob MacGregor, President of the Maine Celtic Celebration
Good morning from Belfast, Maine,
[U.S.A.]
For the past several years, we who
organize the Maine Celtic Celebration have shamelessly stolen a page from your
book and held what we modestly entitled The U.S. National Cheese Rolling
Championship. Our hill is not as impressive as yours, and our following is
still in it’s infancy, but our State of Maine Cheese Company’s cheese wheels
still roll wildly down our hill and men, women and children tumble behind it
in true Gloucestershire fashion in pursuit of glory and cheese.
As you can imagine, we were
shocked, SHOCKED to hear the (apparently false) rumors that your 2010 cheese
roll was cancelled because of the insurer’s fear the event had become just too
dangerous. HAH! What is the world coming to when we can’t chase a wheel of
cheese without fear of lawsuits? I’ve seen your soccer game crowds on
television and they make the cheese roll look like a walk in the park by
comparison.
But my shock was relieved this
morning when I looked at your website and saw that a few brave, undaunted
souls showed up this year despite the "cancellation" and took it
upon themselves to be sure this tradition never dies. GOOD FOR YOU!
So, to show my respect for your
diehard cheese rolling fanaticism, I would like to offer you an invitation to
go west, young men and women, and join us in July for the US National Cheese
Rolling Championship. I promise a good time will be had here in Belfast, and
those who travel across the sea to chase out cheese will receive special
recognition during our Celebration. Bring your trophies and your broken bones
and march in our parade, and then join the mayhem on our hill to compete for
some delicious local cheese as well as the admiration of hundreds of cheering
fans (assuming, of course, that you win).
I can’t offer any more than an
invitation, but I hope you’ll consider making the trek to see how we do cheese
rolling over here.
(And if you’re really inspired,
we’d welcome you in our Highland Games and Cod Toss Relay, as well).
Hope to see you here July 16,17,
and 18 on the shores of the Atlantic in beautiful Belfast, Maine.
Here’s some info on our city to
whet your appetite:
Respectfully yours,
Bob MacGregor, President
Maine Celtic Celebration
PO Box 122
Belfast, Maine 04915 [U.S.A.]
Email Bob
MacGregor for further information.
The hill is tame when compared with
Cooper’s Hill, but there is lots going on there in addition to the Cheese
Rolling!
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