Why were people wearing cheese hats at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee?

Viewers of Donald Trump’s presidential nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee may be left with lingering questions after the lengthy address.

But, one you may want answered in the meantime, is — why were people wearing huge cheese hats in the crowd?

Delegates from Wisconsin have been sporting the hats, known as a ‘Cheesehead’, at the convention to showcase pride in their great state, it would seem.

The triangle-shaped, foam yellow hats have been a part of the Wisconsin culture since the 1980s, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel news outlet.

If you’re an American sports fan, you may have already witnessed the striking hats. But here’s how they came about.

Well known as “America’s Dairyland,” Wisconsin is one of the nation’s leading dairy producers with a long history in cheese production, dating back to the 19th century.

One random day back in the ‘80s, Ralph Bruno, the hat’s creator, went to his mother’s south-side Milwaukee home to help her reupholster a couch.

“When they took the couch apart, Bruno thought the foam inside looked like cheese, so he cut a piece into a triangle, burned some holes into the foam, and spray-painted it yellow,” the Sentinel states.

Bruno then naturally decided to wear the hat to a Milwaukee Brewers baseball game and they were “instantly a hit”.

He went on to make more of the hats and sold them at the next game he attended. The popularity of the Cheesehead grew and eventually, Bruno would go on to create Foamation Inc, selling a variety of ‘Cheesehead’ variations for Wisconsin sports fans to enjoy.

First making an appearance at a Brewers game in 1987, the ‘Cheesehead’ is now a staple at Lambeau Field during Green Bay Packers NFL games.

So, now you know…