Wisconsin, it’s time to vote for your favorites and crown the very best of the best! Discover Wisconsin is excited to launch the brand-new “Best Of” Bracket Challenge, a quarterly, fan-driven competition celebrating the state’s most iconic businesses, destinations, and traditions. And we’re kicking things off with none other than a true Wisconsin legend—the fried cheese curd. This bracket is brought to you by Central Standard Craft Distillery. Now, it’s time for you to decide who rises to the top, one bracket at a time. Ready to dig in?
What It Is
Hosted exclusively on DiscoverWisconsin.com, the “Best Of” Bracket Series puts 32 Wisconsin gems, submitted by you, head-to-head in a live, interactive competition entirely fan-driven. Each bracket focuses on a new category every quarter, from iconic foods to can’t-miss destinations.
To keep things fair and fun, the bracket is divided into eight Wisconsin regions so every part of the state is represented. From the Northwoods to the Driftless and everywhere in between, you’ll see local hot spots going head-to-head. Fans vote weekly to decide regional champions, narrowing the field each round until one ultimate statewide winner is crowned.
How It Works
Mark your calendars! The first “Best Of” Bracket tips off this March, and you won’t want to miss a single round of the action. Remember, this interactive competition is driven entirely by you—the fans—so every vote counts!
Submissions Open: March 13–18
This is your chance to make sure your favorite spot gets noticed! Nominate your favorite business that serves up your go-to order of fried cheese curds. The more love a place gets, the better its odds of making the bracket.
Bracket Creation
Once submissions close, 32 entrants are selected from across eight Wisconsin regions, giving every part of the state a chance to win. The bracket is then revealed, and the competition begins!
Each round is open for a limited time:
- Round 1: March 23 – March 29
- Round 2: March 30 – April 5
- Quarterfinals: April 6 – April 12
- Semifinals: April 13 – April 19
- Final: April 20 – April 26
Voting closes at 11:59 PM (CT) on the final day of each round.
One lucky business will earn the acclaimed title of Discover Wisconsin’s Best Fried Cheese Curds, along with bragging rights and a special prize. Each round lasts several days, so make sure to check back weekly to cast your vote and follow the live results as they unfold. Keep in mind, entrants are selected based on fan nominations, so your input makes all the difference!
Official Rules
When it comes to voting, each user receives 10 votes per round, and those votes reset at the start of each new round, giving you a fresh 10 each time. You’re free to use your votes however you’d like: cast them all on a single matchup if you’re really passionate about one contender, or spread them across multiple matchups to support several favorites. Once you’ve used all 10 votes in a given round, you’ll need to wait until the next round begins to jump back in.
The participant with the most votes in each matchup advances to the next round. And in the event of a tie, Discover Wisconsin reserves the right to determine the winner. Any attempt to manipulate voting, such as using bots, duplicate accounts, or other unfair methods, may result in vote removal or disqualification, and Discover Wisconsin reserves the right to monitor voting activity and enforce fair play as needed.
The bracket will automatically update after each round, so you can easily follow along and see who’s moving on! And remember, all decisions made by Discover Wisconsin are final, and contest details are subject to change if necessary.
Our Proud Sponsor
Central Standard Craft Distillery is more than a name. It’s an idea. An idea to craft better spirits using locally sourced ingredients, made by hardworking Wisconsinites who are passionate about what they create. They turned that idea into a reality, with many spirits earning local and national recognition for quality and excellence, including Door County Cherry Vodka, North Wisconsin Brandy, and Cabin Strength Bourbon. We are Crafted To Gather.
Door County Cherry Vodka is a 100% handcrafted, award-winning vodka infused with locally sourced honey and 50 pounds of cherries from Door County, creating a sweet, ready-to-pour spirit. You’ll fall in love with its rich flavor and quickly understand why they say you “open the Door” in every sip.
North Wisconsin Brandy is aged more than two years in fire-kissed oak barrels and then finished in bourbon barrels, which mellows the spirit into a sweet, exceptionally smooth brandy. Whether you’re finishing off the perfect Old Fashioned or sipping it neat, North Wisconsin Brandy is made in the true Wisconsin tradition.
Cabin Strength Bourbon goes one step further in the aging process. Bourbons are first placed in new American white oak barrels and aged between four and six years, then Cabin Strength is re-barreled for an additional year. That second barreling in their signature new American white oak barrels deepens the flavor and elevates the true bourbon experience. It is listed on Fred Minnick’s list of the Top 100 Whiskeys in America and is the only one from Wisconsin.
Milwaukee through and through, Central Standard Craft Distillery pours its heart and soul into every bottle to craft the perfect spirit for your next cocktail. That’s why they’re so proud to raise a glass as the sponsor of this brand-new Discover Wisconsin “Best Of” Bracket Challenge, celebrating local flavor and a little friendly competition.
Join the Fun
Who will come out on top? That’s for YOU to decide. Cheer on your local favorites, and be part of Wisconsin’s newest fan-driven contest! Visit DiscoverWisconsin.com starting March 13 to submit your favorites, and be sure to follow along as we officially name Discover Wisconsin’s Best Fried Cheese Curds!
