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The Big Cheese Days logo is shown alongside a photo of a cheese cave

Road Trip: Big Cheese Days on the Oxford County Cheese Trail

Par Sarah Israel/

Did you know that Ontario’s Oxford County produces over a billion glasses of milk per year? It comes as no surprise that this area of Southwestern Ontario produces some of Canada’s most un-brie-lievable cheeses. 

If you’re looking for an udderly captivating outing in Oxford County, mark your calendars for Big Cheese Days, happening every Saturday in May. Read on to discover the legen-dairy flavours and hands-on experiences to be found in Canada’s Dairy Capital.

The Oxford County Cheese Trail

The Oxford County Cheese Trail is a curated list of 30+ stops featuring cheese, dairy, and interesting experiences that celebrate Oxford County’s rich heritage. You choose the stops you would like to visit based on location and activities.

If you’re daunted by this muenster of a list, Oxford County recommends picking a hub and planning for five stops in a day. Blandford-Blenheim, Woodstock, Gunn’s Hill, Tillsonburg, and Ingersoll are cheesemaking hubs with stops within 5-15 minutes of each other, and most are open from Wednesday to Saturday. Click here to check out a few custom Google Maps routes.

Big Cheese Days: Highlighting Local Flavours and Experiences

Every Saturday in May, Oxford County will host Big Cheese Days. Stops along Cheese Trail ramp up their offerings with exclusive tastes, special activities, and lots of entertainment and fun. You should definitely manchego check it out (okay, we’re done with cheese puns!).

Here are just a few tasty experiences to look forward to this year:

The friendly Golspie Dairy team teaching their art of cheese-stretching course

Roll Up Your Sleeves at Golspie Dairy’s “Stretching the Curd” Workshops

Where: 455259 45th Line RR#3, Woodstock, ON

When: Every Saturday in May

Come try out the art of pasta filata at Golspie Dairy! This cheesemaking technique creates stretched- or pulled-curd cheese styles with a deliciously moist, elastic texture. You'll get to knead the curds into a malleable and stretchy dough and decide on a shape, such as mozzarella or bocconcini. Click here for more details and to register.

Pack the Perfect Picnic Thanks to the Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop

Where: T188 Thames St. S. Ingersoll, ON

Hours: 9 am - 5 pm

Stop by The Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop for a rotating Arteflame lunch by Chef Sean on Saturdays or pick up a small picnic-style cheese & charcuterie plate, complete with two non-alcoholic wines for the road. Pre-order with Chef Sean by calling the shop the day before.

The Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop Ingersoll
Don't miss the Wine Cellar and Cheese Shop in Ingersoll during Big Cheese Days!

Enjoy a Taste of Place with SixThirtyNine’s Big Cheese Days Prix Fixe Menu

Where: 639 Peel St. Woodstock, ON

Hours: All month long, 5-10pm

This prix fixe menu offers five mouthwatering courses of custom culinary creations featuring Oxford County Cheeses. Click here to book a table.

Sixthirtynine in Woodstock ON
SixThirtyNine in Woodstock is the perfect way to cap off a Big Cheese Days experience.

Churn Back Time at the Norwich Museum

Where: Norwich DHS, 89 Stover St. N, Norwich, ON
Hours: Saturdays in May from 2:30pm to 3:30pm

Touch, smell and learn to use everything as you actually churn your own fresh butter. Of course, what would this experience be without enjoying the fruits of your labour? Spread the butter on fresh bread from a local bakery and enjoy. Click here for more information!

Norwich and District Museum and Archives
The Norwich and District Museum and Archives is preserving the region's rich history.

Cool Off with Dad's Ice Cream Butter Tart Sundaes

Where: 2 Vance Dr. Tillsonburg ON

When: Last two Saturdays in May from 12 pm - 10pm

Dad’s Ice Cream is a must-try as you wind your way through the Oxford County Cheese Trail. During Big Cheese Days, they’re serving up a special butter tart sundae, featuring butter tarts from The County Table in Tillsonburg layered with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce, peanuts, whipped cream, and a cherry on top! If this sounds like your idea of the perfect treat, click here for more details!

Get a Taste of Farm Life at Udderly Ridiculous

Where: 906200 Township Rd 12, Bright, ON

When: 9am - 7pm daily

Udderly Ridiculous in Bright is churning out gourmet goat milk ice cream in six delicious flavours! During Big Cheese Days, buy one, get one free single-serve ice cream pint in their shop. You can also take a yoga class with the goats or have a picnic with the alpacas, which comes complete with Ontario-made food and trimmings to make a charcuterie lunch. Click here to check out their farm experiences!

Udderly Ridiculous Alpaca Picnic
The Udderly Ridiculous picnic with the alpacas includes Ontario-made treats and a few curious visitors!

Getting to Oxford County

Planning to check out Big Cheese Days? Oxford County is conveniently located in Southwestern Ontario where two major highways (401 and 403) meet. It’s just a 90-minute drive from downtown Toronto and two hours from border crossings at Bu­ffalo, Detroit and Sarnia.

Safe travels and enjoy your Big Cheese Days experience!