The Guild of Fine Food, Gillingham, England, said the World Cheese Awards (WCA) will be held in the Spanish Principality of Asturias this year, taking place in Oviedo on Nov. 4. Forming part of the Asturias Paraíso Natural International Cheese Festival 2020, run by the Instituto del Queso, the 33rd edition of the competition will headline a four-day festival dedicated to cheese, staged at the city’s Palacio de Exposiciones y Congresos.

Uniting the global cheese community, from cheesemakers to cheese lovers and everyone in between, World Cheese Awards 2020 is set to be bigger and more international than ever before, the Guild of Fine Food said, following a record-breaking 3,804 entries from 42 different countries judged in Bergamo, Italy, last year. Judging is scheduled to take place on the first day of the festival, which will run from Nov. 4 through Nov. 7.

Welcoming judges from more than 30 different countries, cheese from six continents and followers from every corner of the globe, Oviedo will become the center of the cheese world this November, the Guild of Fine Food said. Building on the Asturias region’s rich cheesemaking heritage, the International Cheese Festival will present a packed program of events for both consumer and trade visitors, including an exhibition, a cheese market, a scientific cheese congress, tours of the World Cheese Awards judging arena, experimental tasting sessions, an Asturian Agriculture Forum and even a gastro cheese comedy lineup.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce Oviedo as the host city for WCA 2020, following an extremely impressive bid from the Principality of Asturias, the City Council of Oviedo and the Instituto del Queso,” said John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, organizers of the WCA. “We received interest from potential host cities across the world, but the opportunity to bring WCA to Asturias was too good to miss, not least due to the region’s whole-hearted commitment to its food culture.

“With up to 4,000 cheeses from over 40 different countries expected at WCA 2020, the competition will be bringing a global celebration of cheese to Oviedo, putting the city firmly on the map of top international food destinations,” he added. “Thousands of food professionals, buyers, retailers, consumers and tourists will be making their way to the city for one of the biggest cheese events the world has ever seen, creating a lasting food and drink legacy for the region.”

For more information, visit http://gff.co.uk/awards/world-cheese-awards.