Festival · Peterborough, Ontario
Great Canadian Cheese Festival
The Great Canadian Cheese Festival is a June weekend of tasting with cheesemakers from across the country. In 2026 it ran on 13 and 14 June at the Morrow Building, 151 Lansdowne Street West in Peterborough: Saturday 10:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 10:00 to 16:00. The 2027 dates and venue have not been announced.
- When
- June weekend
- 2026
- 13 to 14 June
- Where (2026)
- Morrow Building, Peterborough
- Tutored tastings
- $80.25
Dates
The next dates have not been announced yet. It last ran 13 Jun 2026 to 14 Jun 2026.
What Happens
Cheesemakers set up stalls alongside breweries, cideries, wineries, bakers, chocolate makers and charcuterie producers, and the ticket covers tasting your way around. The 2026 line-up ran from Ontario makers such as Gunn's Hill, Mountainoak, Empire, Glengarry, Stonetown and Thunder Oak to Quebec fromageries, Salt Spring Island Cheese and Natural Pastures from British Columbia, and COWS Creamery from Prince Edward Island.
Tutored Tastings
The paid masterclasses are the most sought-after tickets. In 2026 they were curated by cheese sommelier Jackie Armet and included a cross-country tasting with wine, a cheese and cocktails session with Canadian spirits, and a non-alcoholic pairing class. Seats cost $80.25 each.
Venue and History
2026 was the festival's first year in Peterborough, run by the PEC Markets team with the Peterborough Farmers' Market and Peterborough Tourism. The organisers asked visitors to bring a non-perishable donation for the local food bank. A site map was published as a PDF before the weekend.
Planning for 2027
Dates, venue and ticket prices for the next festival will be announced through the festival's newsletter, which you can join on its website. If you are in Ontario in June anyway, the Oxford County Cheese Trail and the Ingersoll Cheese Museum are open all year.
Where to Stay near Peterborough
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More in Canada
All of Canada
Oxford County Cheese Trail
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Ingersoll Cheese Museum
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Questions People Ask
When is the Great Canadian Cheese Festival 2027?
Not announced yet. The 2026 festival ran on 13 and 14 June in Peterborough, and the organisers announce new dates through their newsletter.
Is the Great Canadian Cheese Festival still in Picton?
No. The 2026 edition was held at the Morrow Building in Peterborough, its first year there.
How much are the tutored tastings at the cheese festival?
In 2026 each tutored tasting cost $80.25.
Official site: cheesefest.ca/. Dates, hours and prices checked 22 October 2026; confirm on the official site before you travel. See all cheese festivals.