(Photo credit Summer Broyden)

It’s all about cheese at the annual Big Cheese Festival in Armstrong, a two-day event for dairy and agriculture producers to showcase and sell their products while celebrating the community’s cheese-making history and agricultural heritage.   

“Farming Comes First” claims the Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce (ASCC) on its website, highlighting the importance of agriculture to the North Okanagan economy. In 2025, the Big Cheese Festival, which is championed by the ASCC, reached a new level of success with the addition of business workshops and skills training to the agenda.

The Economic Trust of the Southern Interior (ETSI-BC) first supported the Festival in 2021 to help showcase the area’s food, beverage and other agriculture producers to local businesses and consumers. In 2025, the Trust provided additional support that enabled specialized training and workshops to be added to this year’s festival agenda.

ETSI-BC spoke with Patti Noonan, Executive Director at the ASCC and Visitor Information Centre about how the Big Cheese Festival is helping to build a stronger agricultural economy in the region.

What inspired the addition of educational programming to the Festival?

Patti:  In 2023, the Chamber received support from the provincial Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) to develop a producer’s network. A year later, we were ready to expand the opportunities identified through the project to help producers reach broader markets. The recent funding from ETSI-BC supported a continuation of this work, providing new opportunities for learning, networking, marketing and collaboration.

What distinguishes this project from other agri-business events?

The Big Cheese started out with a focus on dairy and cheese, and we thought it would be a one-time event. But our economy is so tied to agriculture of all types that the Festival has become a go-to place for information and connections beyond the cheese industry. The opportunities that are realized by the region’s agriculture sector often start through a conversation at the festival and those contacts contribute to region-wide economic growth.

How did you determine the kind of workshops to offer?

We collaborated with partners such as the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association, Organic BC and others to tailor the sessions to the specific needs of our agricultural community. Forproducers who were not yet processing and/or marketing their products, we provided sessions on market expansion, investing in new technologies, and resources for creating more efficient and productive businesses. Marketing workshops helped participants learn what it takes to make a great website, and trends to watch for such as AI. Other sessions addressed inclusion and equity, tips and strategies to attract and retain seasonal employees, and funding resources for agriculture infrastructure and development.

In addition to the educational sessions, a new page was created on the ASCC website to increase the profile of regional producers.

How do you measure the success of the project?

Since the 2025 festival to date, approximately $115,000 has been invested in the Armstrong/Spallumcheen community by local businesses that produce local products or use local products to create their own.  

For example, the 27 Supper Club opened a storefront in Armstrong and started producing meals and grab and go products. The Village Dairy invested in a new ageing storage unit and cold storage unit for their cheese. Fresh Valley Farms invested in a new mobile, solar-powered chicken coop that allows fresh pasture grazing, promotes better soil health and reduces the need for manual labor. There are many other examples of businesses reevaluating their business models, embracing new technologies and employing new marketing strategies.

Of the 50 vendors that participated in the event, approximately half were local producers or local supporters of the agriculture industry such as restaurants and grocery stores. Twenty-five vendors reported sales between $2,500 and $4,000 each, injecting a minimum of $62,500 into the local economy. But we know that the impact was much higher as all local businesses reported increased product sales during the event.

In addition, our partnerships with Small-Scale Meat Producers Association, Organic BC and other agriculture organizations have been greatly strengthened by this collaboration.

The best indicator of success may be the feedback we received from participants at the event.  “You did such a good job supporting local,” summarized one post-event survey respondent.  “Keep up the good work, can’t wait until 2026!”