With this fair comes the “opportunity to taste the best products in the region, an experience complemented by direct contact with the producers”, announced Seia City Council.

The event will occur at the Seia Municipal Market, from February 10 to February 13, which promises to bring together “the best productions in the agri-food sector, with a special focus on Serra da Estrela Cheese", highlights the municipality.

The cheese is accompanied by serrano sausage, rye bread, wine from the Dão sub-region of Serra da Estrela, honey and olive oil, among others.

“Half a hundred exhibitors will participate in the fair, including cheese producers (shepherds, traditional cheese dairies, DOP cheese and manufacturing units) and regional products”, adds the municipality.

In the surrounding area of the Municipal Market, the Quinta do Pastor will be representing pastoral activity, which will be recreated with farm animals and the vegetable garden created by the Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela.

This fair allows “shepherds to present their best specimens at the Concurso de Ovinos e Caprinos da Serra da Estrela”, a competition organised by the Associação Nacional de Criadores de Ovinos da Serra da Estrela (ANCOSE). It will also be possible to meet “the shepherd’s faithful companion, the Estrela Mountain Dog (Estrela Cão da Serra da Estrela)”, in an exhibition organised by the Liga dos Criadores e Amigos do Cão Serra da Estrela (LICRASE).

In addition to this, the fair will include a space for handicrafts in partnership with the Associação de Artesãos da Serra da Estrela. There will also be culinary demonstrations and taverns organised by local associations, which “will provide excellent moments, with food tasting and conviviality”.

There are also plans to produce the largest “Queijo de Ovelha de Seia” cheese, (on February 12 in the afternoon), an activity which involves several producers in the municipality.

The programme includes several moments of entertainment, led by philharmonic bands, folklore groups and other traditional music groups.

The Cheese Fair is promoted by the municipality of Seia, in collaboration with the Associação de Artesãos da Serra da Estrela, LICRASE, ANCOSE and the Associação de Desenvolvimento Integrado da Rede de Aldeias de Montanha, with the support of Turismo Centro de Portugal.

The event begins every day at 10:00 am and ends at 8:00 pm, with the exception of Carnival Day (February 13), when the fair will close at 4:00 pm. The taverns during the first three days will close at 11:00 pm.