Some towns have apple festivals.

Some celebrate pumpkins.

Lowville, New York shuts down downtown for a day to celebrate cream cheese.

And honestly? We think more towns should be this committed to their dairy products.

The Lowville Cream Cheese Festival returns to historic downtown Lowville on Saturday, September 19, 2026, for a day filled with food, live entertainment, vendors, activities, and one very good excuse to eat cheesecake before dinner.

If you’ve never been, consider this your invitation.

Why Cream Cheese?

Dairy has deep roots in Lewis County, and Lowville has an especially interesting connection to the cream cheese you probably already have sitting in your refrigerator.

The Kraft cream cheese plant began operating in Lowville in the early 1970s and became one of the world’s largest producers of cream cheese, including the iconic Philadelphia Cream Cheese brand.

The festival began in 2005 as a celebration of that local industry, the region’s dairy heritage, and the community surrounding it. Twenty-plus years later, it’s become one of the area’s signature events.

About That Cheesecake…

We need to talk about the cheesecake….Because Lowville doesn’t do “giant cheesecake” casually.

In 2013, the community made history when a massive cheesecake created at the Lowville plant earned a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest cheesecake.

Eventually, the record was broken. Naturally, Lowville took that personally.

In 2024, the community reclaimed the Guinness World Record with an enormous cheesecake unveiled during the Cream Cheese Festival.

So yes, when we say this town takes cream cheese seriously, we mean it.

The festival has continued its giant cheesecake tradition in the years since, making it one of the most anticipated sights, and tastes, of the day.

Bring the Kids

This isn’t an event where the kids have to patiently follow you around while you eat your way through downtown.

The festival’s Children’s Discovery Park returns for 2026 with activities designed for kids of all ages.

Past and planned attractions include climbing and inflatable activities, obstacle courses, slides, sports-themed games, and plenty of opportunities to burn off some energy.

Which seems fair considering you’re probably about to give them cheesecake.

Come Hungry

We probably don’t need to tell you this, but this is not the day to eat a big breakfast.

Part of the fun of the Cream Cheese Festival is wandering downtown and seeing what you can find.

Come ready to snack, sample, and try something you might not normally order.

And yes, you should probably eat some cream cheese. It would be rude not to.

A Festival That’s Very Lowville

The best local traditions are usually the ones that couldn’t happen quite the same way anywhere else.

The Lowville Cream Cheese Festival is one of them.

It’s a celebration of the region’s dairy industry, yes.

But it’s also a celebration of the people, businesses, volunteers, and traditions that make this little corner of Northern New York what it is.

And if celebrating your hometown by making an absurdly large cheesecake isn’t community pride, we’re not sure what is.

TLDR: What to Expect at the 2026 Cream Cheese Festival

Mark your calendar:

Saturday, September 19, 2026
11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Historic Downtown Lowville, New York

For one Saturday each September, downtown Lowville transforms into a full-fledged festival celebrating food, community, and all things cream cheese.

Visitors can expect a lively day downtown with food, vendors, entertainment, family-friendly activities, and plenty to explore.

The complete 2026 festival schedule, entertainment lineup, vendor information, and map will be announced closer to the event, so be sure to check the official Cream Cheese Festival website before your visit.

For the latest festival schedule and event information, visit the official Cream Cheese Festival website and be sure to follow Discover Tug Hill on Instagram and Facebook for more upcoming events, local favorites, weekend inspiration, and reasons to explore Tug Hill throughout the fall.

See you there! We’ll be the ones double fisting slices of cheesecake.

This project is supported by a grant awarded to Lewis County from New York State’s Empire State Development and the I LOVE NY Division of Tourism.