International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
Oldways says its Cheese Coalition created the annual International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day in 2015 and celebrates it on the third Saturday of October.
About International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day
International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day is an annual food-culture observance created by the Oldways Cheese Coalition and held on the third Saturday of October.
Oldways presents the day as a way to learn about traditional cheesemaking and raw-milk cheeses; the observance itself does not change food-safety guidance.
Why International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day matters
The day focuses on cheese traditions, producers and methods associated with cheeses made from unpasteurized milk.
Food-safety authorities distinguish cultural appreciation from safety advice: CDC says raw milk and products made from it can carry harmful germs and recommends choosing pasteurized dairy products to reduce that risk.
History of International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day
Oldways says its Cheese Coalition created the annual International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day in 2015.
Oldways uses the third Saturday of October as the recurring date.
The observance belongs to a broader Oldways Cheese Coalition program supporting traditional and artisanal cheese culture.
CDC guidance remains separate from the observance: raw-milk dairy can expose people to pathogens, with some groups at higher risk of serious illness.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Oldways Cheese Coalition
Oldways states that its Cheese Coalition created the annual observance in 2015.
First documented observance
Oldways states that the Cheese Coalition created the annual day in 2015.
Oldways Cheese Coalition
Oldways maintains the annual observance page and recurring-date rule.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day
Learn about cheesemaking history, aging, regional traditions and labeling from reputable educational sources.
If visiting a producer or retailer, ask how a cheese is made and how it is handled rather than assuming that “traditional” means risk-free.
Follow local food-safety rules and current public-health guidance when choosing dairy products.
People who want to avoid raw-milk risk can participate through reading, museum or producer stories, or pasteurized cheeses.
Do not use an observance page as a substitute for medical or food-safety advice.
International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day Facts
Oldways says the annual observance was created in 2015.
Its date rule is the third Saturday of October.
The creator identified in the reviewed source is the Oldways Cheese Coalition.
The observance is a food-culture campaign, not a government holiday.
CDC says pasteurization kills harmful germs and recommends pasteurized milk and dairy products as the safer choice.
International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day Messages
The day can be used to learn about cheesemaking traditions while keeping food-safety guidance separate from celebration.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
CDC — Raw Milk food-safety guidance (opens in a new tab)
Public Health Guidance
Oldways — Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day (opens in a new tab)
Creator First Party
Oldways Cheese Coalition
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day?
Third Saturday of October The documented recurrence rule is: Third Saturday of October.
Does International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Oldways Cheese Coalition / international food-culture campaign. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day?
The documented basis is: Oldways says its Cheese Coalition created the annual International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day in 2015 and celebrates it on the third Saturday of October.. Supporting evidence includes Oldways — Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: Oldways Cheese Coalition / international food-culture campaign. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-30.
When is International Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day?
It is observed on the third Saturday of October.
Who created the observance?
Oldways says its Cheese Coalition created the annual observance in 2015.
Is it a government holiday?
No. The reviewed evidence supports a creator-led food-culture observance, not a statutory holiday.
Does the observance mean raw-milk dairy is risk-free?
No. CDC states that raw milk and products made from it can contain harmful germs and recommends pasteurized dairy products to reduce risk.
Other observances on October 16
These observances are also listed on October 16, 2027.
Global Cat Day
Alley Cat Allies identifies 16 October as Global Cat Day and describes it as its campaign centered on cats and communities.
International Sloth Day
AIUNAU states that it created International Sloth Day as a commitment from the first international meeting on sloth wellbeing and conservation in Medellín in November 2010 and set it for th…
National Boss’s Day
SHRM and Hallmark trace National Boss Day to Patricia Bays Haroski’s 1958 registration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; October 16 was selected for her father’s birthday, with later Illin…
National Feral Cat Day®
Alley Cat Allies states that it created National Feral Cat Day® in 2001 for October 16. Its primary archives document the 2017 evolution to Global Cat Day® and current material treats Natio…
Senate of the Philippines founding anniversary
Senate of the Philippines primary-history and centennial records tie October 16 to the inauguration / first convening of the Philippine Legislature with the Senate on 16 October 1916. The J…
Sweetest Day
Hallmark states that Sweetest Day is always observed on the third Saturday in October and gives October 17 for 2026.