The Edam cheese market takes place every Wednesday from 10:30 to 12:30, from 1 July to 19 August 2026, on the Jan Nieuwenhuizenplein next to the Kaaswaag. Entry is free. There is one evening market on Saturday 8 August 2026 (20:30–22:00). Edam is 35 minutes from Amsterdam by bus 316.

Dates 2026 (confirmed)

Source: Stichting Kaasmarkt Edam (kaasmarktedam.nl) and gemeente Edam-Volendam, checked 9 September 2026.

Dates 2027 (expected — to be confirmed)

The organisers publish the new schedule in spring. Based on the fixed pattern of the past years, expect Wednesdays from 7 July to 18 August 2027, 10:30–12:30, with one evening market on a Saturday in early August. We update this page as soon as the official 2027 dates are released.

What happens at the Edam cheese market

The Edam market is a re-enactment of the trade that made this small town rich in the 16th and 17th centuries. Cheese carriers in white uniforms and coloured straw hats bring the round Edam cheeses to the square on wooden sledges, sometimes by boat over the canal. Traders and farmers seal the deal with the traditional handjeklap (hand-clapping) before the cheeses are weighed in the Kaaswaag of 1778. The whole show lasts about two hours; the best moment to arrive is 10:15, when the sledges come in. Compared with Alkmaar, Edam is smaller, quieter and easier to see from the front row — which is exactly why many visitors prefer it.

Practical information

• Location: Jan Nieuwenhuizenplein, 1135 WT Edam (in front of the Kaaswaag). Postcode for navigation: 1135 WT.
• Admission: free.
• Duration: 10:30–12:30; the ceremony itself is busiest between 10:30 and 11:30.
• Toilets and food: cafés around the Damplein and along the Spui, five minutes’ walk. The Kaaswaag sells cheese and has a small exhibition.
• Weather: the market goes ahead in light rain; in heavy rain the programme may be shortened.
• Combine with: Volendam (bus 316, 6 minutes, or a 30-minute walk along the dyke) and the Marken ferry.

How to get to Edam from Amsterdam

• Bus: EBS bus 316 from Amsterdam Centraal (IJ-side bus station, platform F) to stop Edam Busstation, every 15 minutes, about 35 minutes. From the bus station it is a 5-minute walk to the square. Pay with a bank card (OVpay) or the Amsterdam & Region Travel Ticket.
• Car: 25 minutes via the N247; park at Singelweg (P1) and walk 5 minutes. Parking near the square is not possible on market days.
• Tour: most Amsterdam day tours combine Edam with Volendam, Marken and the Zaanse Schans, and the Wednesday departures stop at the cheese market — see below.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Edam cheese market worth visiting?

Yes if you want the traditional ceremony without the crowds of Alkmaar. It is smaller (around 45 minutes of trading) but you stand close to the action and can combine it with Volendam in one morning.

Is the Edam cheese market free?

Yes. There is no entrance fee; you only pay for cheese you buy.

What day is the cheese market in Edam?

Wednesday mornings, 10:30–12:30, in July and August only. In 2026: 1 July to 19 August, plus an evening market on Saturday 8 August.

Can I visit Edam cheese market and Alkmaar cheese market in the same week?

Yes. Alkmaar is on Friday mornings (late March–late September) and Edam on Wednesday mornings (July–August), so a mid-week trip to Edam and a Friday trip to Alkmaar fit in one Amsterdam stay.

How long does it take to get from Amsterdam to Edam?

About 35 minutes by bus 316 from Amsterdam Centraal, or 25 minutes by car.

Plan the rest of your day

• Edam travel guide
• Volendam
• Marken
• Dutch cheese markets overview
• Cheeses of Holland
• Alkmaar cheese market
• Gouda cheese market