Food: Fayetteville is for (cheese dip) lovers

FAYETTEVILLE — Is there a better way to spend Cinco de Mayo than at a cheese dip tasting and competition?

After plans fell through to host one last year, John McClure with Arkansas Convention & Event Marketing Inc. has put together the first-ever Northwest Arkansas Cheese Dip Classic, to be held May 5 at Washington County Fairgrounds.

Winners in amateur and professional divisions will be decided by the chip-and-dip-loving public, as well as local celebrities, food critics and dignitaries. Next stop: to represent Northwest Arkansas in the third annual World Cheese Dip Championship on Oct. 20 in Little Rock.

As part of the local competition, University of Arkansas fraternities and sororities will pair up to compete for bragging rights among the Greeks.

For those who lack a taste for cheese dip, other fare will be provided by Hammontrees, Mellow Mushroom and Hog Haus Brewing Co. Later that evening, the inaugural Fayetteville Foam Fest beer sampling event will commence at the fairgrounds.

Proceeds from both will benefit the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas. Registration to compete in the cheese dip classic and ticket information can be found here.