Cheese Festival

Ragusa, the capital of cheese

In the heart of the historic center of Ragusa, the capital of southeastern Sicily, Cheese Festival is the major event dedicated to the Iblean art of cheesemaking. For three days, Piazza San Giovanni turns into an authentic gastronomic and cultural hub, where the public can discover the knowledge, flavors, and stories that have linked this corner of Sicily to cheese production for centuries. The event was born in 2026 as part of the «Ragusa City of Cheese» program, a title conferred by ONAF (National Organization of Cheese Tasters), which recognizes Italian municipalities with a strong historical, cultural, and economic identity tied to dairy production.

The realm of Ragusano DOP

Ragusa is the home of Ragusano DOP, the famous stretched-curd caciocavallo that serves as the symbol of the Iblean territory, and the province alone produces about 60% of all cow's milk in Sicily. It is no surprise, therefore, that cheese is much more than a food product: it is an element of identity, culture, and tradition that the festival explores in all its nuances, from milking and stretching to aging and the dining table.

A journey through tastings and workshops

The program focuses on the visitor's direct experience. The square hosts live cheesemaking, stretching demonstrations, guided tastings led by ONAF master tasters, and showcooking events dedicated to cheese. The farm stalls allow visitors to meet producers and discover ancient cheesemaking traditions, while the taste workshops—hosted in participating local venues and at the «Mimì Arezzo» Cultural Commercial Center—offer thematic paths on pairings and local recipes.

• Guided tastings of different Ragusano DOP aging stages
• Comparisons between Sicilian stretched-curd cheeses and buffalo, sheep, and goat milk cheeses
• Pairings between cheeses and extra virgin olive oil
• Workshops on scaccia ragusana and typical Iblean recipes
• Educational and creative activities for children and families

A festival spread across the historic center

Promoted by Slow Food Sicily, Slow Food Ragusa, and the Municipality of Ragusa, with the support of the Chamber of Commerce, the Free Municipal Consortium, and protection consortia, Cheese Festival involves the entire historic center of the city. The event aims to promote gastronomic tourism and introduce a wide audience to the dairy excellence of the Province of Ragusa, in a journey that combines tradition with culinary creativity.