Festa do Queixo, Arzúa

What Happens

Arzúa is the heart of the Arzúa-Ulloa cheese area, a soft, buttery cow's milk cheese from central Galicia, and the festival has been held here for more than 50 years. Cheesemakers fill the Terra do Queixo fairground with stands, and outside there are more stalls and food trucks. The opening ceremony and the pregón, a speech given each year by a well-known Galician (the actor Federico Pérez Rey in 2026), take place at noon on the Saturday in the marquee on the fairground. Evenings bring concerts, and there is a chess and cheese tournament.

Booking the Activities

Showcookings and cheese workshops are free but places are limited: write to [email protected], and you can book two places per request. The council's culture office on Rúa Padre Pardo 33 also takes bookings in person until 14:30, or call 981 500 222 in the mornings.

Getting There

Arzúa is a stage town on the Camino Francés, one of the last before Santiago de Compostela. Signposted car parks are at the entrances to the town, and the organisers ask visitors to share cars or come by bus. The fairground toilets stay open until the concerts end.