10th Annual Little Falls Cheese Festival Delights Thousands with Cheesy Charm and Festive Flair

By Dave Warner

Little Falls – The 10th annual Little Falls Cheese Festival capped off a decade of gooey goodness on Saturday, October 4, 2025, drawing crowds to Main Street under a canopy of perfect fall weather and emerging foliage. Festival committee head Teri Chace described the day as a “total success,” highlighting improvements, vibrant entertainment, and the event’s role in spotlighting the city’s historic cheese-making roots.

What began in 2015 as a modest tribute to Little Falls’ 19th-century status as the nation’s cheese capital has blossomed into New York State’s premier artisan food gathering. From around 4,000 attendees at the fourth festival in 2018 to an estimated 14,000–15,000 last year, the event has weathered rain, heat, and even a COVID-19 cancellation in 2020 before roaring back with innovations like shuttle services and a seasonal shift to October.

This year’s milestone edition stayed true to its mission of featuring only New York State vendors—over 80 booths strong—offering direct-from-producer cheeses, wines, baked goods, and more, with no middlemen in sight.

“We were really lucky to get a gorgeous day,” Chace said in an interview following the event. “The Mohawk Valley was shining… Fall foliage is just starting.”

First-time visitors raved about the “hidden gem” of Little Falls, often unaware of its charms when zipping by on the New York State Thruway. “This is my first time here, and I’m coming back, this is gorgeous,” was a refrain Chace heard repeatedly, swelling her with pride for the community.

Kicking off at 10 a.m. with a New Orleans-inspired second-line marching band—complete with tubas, saxophones, and tambourines—the festival set a “festive, fun, almost silly vibe” from the start.

Musicians, bolstered by a Central New York Arts grant, distributed donated cheesy hats and paraded down Main Street to the popular “Pickleman” booth at the end before doubling back.

“People were just eating it up. They were laughing and clapping,” Chace recounted. Among the marchers was the band leader’s young daughter, making her debut on fiddle—a touching family moment that added to the day’s delight.

Enhancements focused on accessibility and flow: Handicap parking was extended for easier access, and vendor booths were shifted to the south curb, widening the road and flooding the sidewalks with more light and air.

This setup encouraged Main Street businesses to fling open their doors, from restaurants serving meals to shops hawking merchandise. “How great it was to see so many Little Falls businesses… open their doors,” Chace noted, predicting a sales boost for local spots like paint stores and carpet outlets.

Food and drink options kept attendees fueled for the “culinary adventure,” as Chace calls it. Responding to feedback on long lines, the food truck court was downsized and repositioned—one near the Pickleman, and two at the entrance—with ample restaurant alternatives for those seeking air-conditioned seating.

A beer and wine tent at Rock Valley Brewing Company extended the fun past 5 p.m., drawing festival-goers for live music and pre-packaged cheese boxes. Kids’ programming came courtesy of a local art group, which set up a creative play space—no bounce houses needed.

With most of the 80-plus vendors being seasoned pros (fewer than 10 newcomers), the focus remained on quality over quantity. “We’re capping it as far as number of spaces,” Chace explained, citing respect for volunteers, first responders, and the perishable nature of the goods. “It’s overwhelming in a good way… There’s so much good food and drink.”

Highlights included superior New York State baked goods, expanded local wines, and standout flavors like fig-rosemary goat cheese, dubbed “food of the gods” by eager lines of cheese lovers swapping tips.

Anecdotes abounded: A couple boating the Erie Canal, who missed last year’s event by a day, arrived triumphant this time and sent a “loot picture”—a post-festival spread of cheeses and wine artfully arranged on their cramped vessel.

In lines, strangers bonded over recommendations: “I was here last year, and this booth has the best aged cheddar… You have to get the five-year.” Chace beamed at such interactions, emphasizing the festival’s unique direct-to-consumer model. “They made the product… It’s a wonderful opportunity for them to connect with their customers.”

Challenges persist—shuttle bus lines grew with the crowds, a “victim of our own success,” Chace admitted—but solutions are in the works, including more buses and the possibility of additional parking.

Post-event debriefs with the “Team Cheese” committee will fuel next year’s tweaks, resuming planning after Christmas. “We’re on a continuous improvement plan,” she said. “We want to make the festival better every year, and then people will just love it even more.”

As Little Falls basks in the afterglow of the weekend, Chace urges cheese enthusiasts: Bring a cooler next time. For those who missed it, mark your calendars—the 11th annual promises to be cheesier than ever.

You can watch the video on YouTube or below, along with a host of images.