- Cheese dip image via Shutterstock
- Shawn Hempel
The third annual World Cheese Dip Championship, named by Gourmet.com and Roadfood.com as one of the top ten food festivals in the country, returns from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 at the Clinton Presidential Center. The festival is the brainchild of local attorney and filmmaker Nick Rogers, who conceived it after making a short documentary on cheese dip that argues that Arkansan Blackie Donnelly, owner of Mexico Chiquito, was the first person to dream up cheese dip. Contestants in both the "amateur" and "professional" classes can register online at cheesedip.net. There'll be cash prizes for the winners, and the winner in the pro division will go on to compete in the New Orleans Roadfood Festival. Entry fee is $100 for amateur teams and $125 for professionals. Proceeds benefit Harmony Health Clinic in Pulaski County. Tickets for those who just want to sample are $10 in advance (available at USA Drug) or if you’re wearing a Race for the Cure T-shirt or $12 at the door.