Becoming Kaaskoningin (Cheese Queen) is a great honour. Every year, two members of the Events Commission Bodegraven are responsible for the continuation of the heritage by appointing a new Kaaskoningin. The new queen must either work in the cheese trade or be a family member of a cheese-making farmer, so that she has a lot of knowledge about the cheese-making craft and the maturing process. The Cheese Queen has two ladies in waiting who do not necessarily have to come from 'the cheese'. Apart from the queen and the two members of the ECB, only the tailor and the barber know who the new queen and her ladies in waiting are. It is the greatest kept secret for all residents of the village and villages around it. It is not until the parade on Thursday that the queen and her ladies are presented to the public. Entrepreneurs, sports clubs, emergency services and the children of all primary schools in Bodegraven take part in this procession with floats. The Kaaskoningin and ladies in waiting conclude the parade. The 1st prize for the most beautiful float, chosen by the ECB, is awarded by the Kaaskoningin in the evening. Each year, the festivities are linked to a theme that is suggested by the residents of Bodegraven.
At the end of the procession, at the Raadhuisplein, the Queen of the Cheese and her ladies meet the mayor who hands her the Staff of Bodegraven with which she will be in charge of the village of Bodegraven for three days.
This moment also marks the start of the three-day Autumn Fair. The Autumn Fair is not part of the tradition but during the Autumn Fair, the Kaaskoningin and her ladies-in-waiting do visit various events, including ring-tilting, cheese inspections, the opening of the cheese and flower show and the senior citizens' centre. A master of ceremonies accompanies the queen and her ladies during the entire event.