There is a distinctly dairy-themed weekend coming to Olsztyn this September, as Kortowo hosts the 11th National Cheese Day on 12 and 13 September.
Held around KORTOSFERA at the University of Warmia and Mazury, the event brings together two things that do not always share the same table: Polish dairy traditions and the science behind them. There will be cheese to taste, but also experiments, demonstrations and opportunities to see some of the technology used in dairy production.
The event is free to attend, with activities spread between the square outside KORTOSFERA and the science centre itself.
From tasting cheese to making butter
The most obvious attraction is, naturally, the cheese.
Visitors will be able to sample products from dairy producers and vote for the Cheese King and Curd Cheese King. Culinary demonstrations and conversations with dairy experts will add a little more substance to the tasting.
On Saturday, there will also be an attempt to set a record for stretching mozzarella. It is difficult to imagine a more literal interpretation of stretching a cheese story.
Aleksandra Juszkiewicz, winner of the ninth edition of MasterChef Poland, is scheduled to take part in a live cooking session, focusing on regional flavours.
The programme then moves from the finished product to the processes behind it.
A walk through the UWM technology hall will offer a look at dairy production, while the Cheese and Curd Cheese Laboratory will demonstrate how milk is turned into cheese. Another part of the programme, called Butter Secrets, looks at the transformation of cream into butter.
Science gets its own serving
KORTOSFERA will have its own programme running alongside the outdoor activities.
Its interactive exhibition contains more than 140 exhibits, with experiments, microscopes, science demonstrations and Naukowiada among the activities planned for the weekend.
There are also two competitions with rather different approaches to dairy science: Calories Under Control and a challenge to whip cream into butter.
For children, Seromaniak Street will provide a more playful part of the programme.
Mariusz Gachewicz will also appear at KORTOSFERA for a live cooking session.
Music in Kortowo
The weekend will not be entirely about milk, curds and laboratory equipment. Live music is also planned, with Cezary Makiewicz and the Koltersi performing during the event.
The setting is perhaps particularly appropriate. Kortowo's campus provides plenty of space for an event that moves between food stalls, demonstrations and the science centre, making it possible to dip in and out of the programme rather than treating the weekend as a single scheduled show.
National Cheese Day 2026 in Olsztyn
The event takes place at KORTOSFERA, ul. Dybowskiego 11a, on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September.
Saturday, 12 September
KORTOSFERA: 10:00–18:00
Square in front of KORTOSFERA: 10:00–16:00
Sunday, 13 September
KORTOSFERA: 10:00–15:00
Square in front of KORTOSFERA: 10:00–16:00
Admission: Free
For Olsztyn, it is an unusual combination of a food event, university science and family activities, all centred on one of Poland's most familiar foods. If nothing else, September's trip to Kortowo should leave visitors knowing considerably more about what happens before the cheese reaches the fridge.
See more: Awangarda: How an Olsztyn Cinema Became Part of the City’s Cultural Memory
Source and image credit: Kortosfera UWM