Cheese market Alkmaar - Alkmaar

In their own rooms in the Waag building, the cheese carriers with their coloured hats, their boss they call Father and the charming cheese girls and boys in traditional costume gather. From 10am, they regale visitors on the huge Waagplein full of golden yellow cheeses with all the rituals associated with their role.

You will see how the cheeses are judged for quality and taste, how farmers and traders ratify a sale with ‘handshakes’, and you will probably be amazed at the crazy walk of the cheese carriers. It is a kind of dribble that makes it easier to carry the sometimes as much as 100 kilos of cheese on their berrie to the buyer's truck with as little movement as possible.

The cheese girls and boys answer visitors' questions and take photos with them. When the market comes to an end, ‘throw-in men’ make sure the unsold cheeses are loaded into carts. In July and August, the cheese market is also held on Tuesday evenings.