26 Feb 2019
FOOD AND WINE EVENTS IN ITALY
SPRING & SUMMER 2019
During Spring and Summer Italy abounds with food and wine festivals, fairs, celebrations, here is a selection of some of the major ones:
VINITALY in Verona, Veneto
07-10 April 2019
Vinitaly is an international wine competition and exhibition that is held annually in April in the Italian wine region of Verona. First held in 1967, VinItaly has been called the "most important convention of domestic and international wines" and the "largest wine show in the world". For producers in the Italian wine industry, attendance and the reception that their wines receive is considered a barometer for measuring the health and success of the market, particularly for emerging Italian wine regions. The event is also used as an opportunity by wineries to release new wines and wine styles or announce partnerships with universities, organic and biodynamic wine organizations or even other wineries.
FRITTO MISTO in Ascoli Piceno, Le Marche
27 April – 5 May 2019
This event celebrates all things “fried” and typically regional such as: Marche's “olive ascolane” (giant green olives filled with meat and deep fried), Sicily's “arancini” (rice balls filled with meats or peas), Neapolitan “cannoli” (sweet conical cakes filled with ricotta), “frittura di pesce” (lightly fried mixed fish) and much more. A truly mouthwatering offering.
PRIMAVERA DEL PROSECCO, in Treviso and surrounding areas
From March until June 2019
Treviso, Valdobbiadene, Conegliano, Cartizze
This exciting annual event takes place in the heart of the Prosecco wine area and will lead the visitors in a journey of discovery of all aspects of this delicious wine production process. Special packages are on offer which would include stay in hotels, agriturismi and B&Bs of the area, restaurants and visit to wineries. Special events such as shows, exhibitions and visits to historic villas of the area have also been organized.
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL in Nemi, Lazio
1-2 June 2019
Nemi is quaint medieval town of the Castelli Romani, 20 Km south of Rome perched on a hill overlooking the small volcanic lake of Nemi. It is famous for its wild strawberries, small, sweet and with a distinctive flavour. Every year since 1922 Nemi hosts the Sagra della Fragola (strawberry festival) when women dressed in the typical rustic costume sell and offer the visitors the precious fruit served in many imaginative ways, with fresh cream or ice-cream, in pancakes, in milk-shakes and liqueurs and you can also buy a piece of jewelry in the form of a strawberry pendant made by hand by the local goldsmiths.
INYCON Wine Festival in Menfi, Sicily
21-23 June 2019
http://www.inyconmenfi.com/it/programma/
Inycon is the oldest wine festival in Sicily. This weekend in June you can participate to wine tastings, wine exhibitions and workshops, music events, cooking shows and taste delicious Sicilian food in the historic town of Menfi near Agrigento.
ARIA DI FESTA, SAN DANIELE HAM FAIR in Friuli Venezia Giulia
21 - 24 June 2019
Two days full of tasting experiences, music, events and performances in San Daniele del Friuli, during which you can discover this magical place with its unique prosciutto and superb wines.
FESTA ARTUSIANA - ARTUSI'S CELEBRATION, Forlimpopoli/Forli-Cesena
22 - 30 June 2019
The desire to seek out new tastes is created in Forlimpopoli – the hometown of 'the father of Italian cuisine' Pellegrino Artusi - every second-last Saturday of June for nine consecutive days during the Artusi Celebration. The programme is vast and gives visitors the opportunity to explore their own palates, or to dare trying an unknown dish. The festival features workshops, tastings and talks on food culture. However, the festival is not just about eating – it is also a time to reflect upon the cultural, social and economic role of food in the company of scholars, enthusiasts and academics.
FESTIVAL DEL BRODETTO AND FISH SOUP in Fano, Marche
4-7 July 2019
http://www.festivalbrodetto.it/
For fish lovers the Festival of “brodetto” and fish soups is a not-to-be-missed event, where in an "International Competition of Brodetto”, well known chefs from all over Italy and abroad will discuss about culinary themes and in particular special recipes for fish stews and soups. This all happens in the city of Fano (ancient and noble Fanum Fortunae), an enchanting seaside resort and a marina, with an old town center rich in art of different eras: Roman, Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque.
OLYMPIC GAMES OF “Vera Pizza Napoletana” in Capodimonte, Campania
08-10 July 2019
http://www.pizzanapoletana.org/en
The Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana-AVPN celebrates its 35th birthday and for the occasion calls together pizza makers from all over the world for the Olympic games of Vera Pizza Napoletana, an intercontinental contest that will be held during the international convention, from 8 to 10 July in Naples, at the offices of Capodimonte. During the festival different tasting will be offered, including gluten free pizza, fried pizza, pizza “mastunicola” (lard, oil, basil, cacio cheese and pepper).
STRAGUSTO, STREET FOOD FESTIVAL in Trapani, Sicily
24-28 July 2019
A festival of street food that shines the light of the old markets, a concentration of flavours, smells, colours, voices, each year, overwhelms the old town of Trapani. This and much more is Stragusto, the event celebrating the street food of the Mediterranean, held in the Fish Market square, strikingly beautiful and unique. Many are the specialties that characterize the gourmet itinerary of the event: panelle, arancine, sfincioni, rascadura, focacce, panini cà meusa, dolci, typical trapanese food and more.
CALICI DI STELLE in Every region in Italy, various locations
2-11 August 2019
http://www.movimentoturismovino.it/it/eventi/3/calici-di-stelle/
This event, organized by the Movimento Turismo del Vino is their most important summer event and is held between 2 and 11 August and on the night between 9 and 10 August under the shooting stars in the most beautiful wine-producing locations in Italy. Wine tastings are organized by sommeliers' associations of the region to inform and help the visitors to appreciate the local wines.
MANGIALONGA, WALKING AND FOOD IN PIEDMONT in La Morra, Langhe area
25 August 2019
A festival not to be missed! Mangialonga is a non-competitive walk in the wonderful hills and vineyards of La Morra, in the renowned wine producing area of the Langhe in Piedmont. The Mangialonga is a festive and gourmet appointment to join friends and taste the typical products of the Langhe and prestige wines. The 4km trail crosses beautiful landscapes which combine with local culinary delicacies to make it a unique event with people coming from all over the world .
PARMA HAM FESTIVAL
Parma, Langhirano and all the towns of Parma ham production area.
September 2019
www.festivaldelprosciuttodiparma.com
Festival del Prosciutto di Parma, the festival of that well known ham is held in the city with the same name. Each year this annual celebration brings over 100,000 visitors to the area, who then indulge in consuming more than 1,000 different types of ham. One of the main attractions of the festival is the “Open Doors” tradition of the ham factories, which offers visitors a unique chance to discover that the 10 million Parma Hams produced each year by the 164 companies of the Parma Ham Consortium, are still made today like they were two thousand years ago, using only two ingredients: the prized Italian pig leg and a pinch of sea salt.
DOUJA D'OR WINE FAIR IN ASTI
Asti, Piedmont
6-15 September 2019
Food and wine fair in the lovely Piedomont town of Asti, famous for its “spumante” wine, offers a rich calendar of events, tastings and cultural shows. It's a famous event where guests and visitors can buy and taste the winning wine. It's not just about wine, it also hosts concerts and exhibitions along with the Piedmontese cuisine menu. It's always been very important for its local economy production, for the territory promotion and for one of the most excellent origin product.
DIAMANTE – CHILI PEPPER FESTIVAL Diamante - Calabria
11-15 September 2019
The annual “Peperoncino Festival” has been held in the town of Diamante in Calabria. Organized by the Accademia Italiana del Peperoncino, the festival now attracts people all over the world. The festival has a large market where local food products made with chili pepper are sold and hosts a eating contest.
COUS COUS FEST in San Vito lo Capo, Sicily
San Vito lo Capo, Trapani, Sicily
20-29 September 2019
San Vito lo Capo, stunning seaside location in western Sicily has been hosting this event since 1998, and it has been an enormous success, a celebration of food and cultural integration. Chefs from all over Sicily, Italy and other countries on the Mediterranean come to San Vito to participate to the competition that celebrates the best and most creative cous cous dish. Every evening there will be a show with music, dance, songs and tastings of delicious cous cous.
CHEESE in Bra, Piedmont
20-23 Semptember 2019
Every second year, during the third weekend of September, the little medieval town of Bra in Piedmont, Italy is transformed into a place of hedonistic delight for cheese lovers from all over the world. The Bra Cheese festival is organised by Slow Food and is devoted to showcasing everything to do with cheese. The emphasis of the show is to draw attention to Slow Foods ideals of preserving biodiversity and returning to Artisanal food. In the case of cheese making, quality cheeses are lovingly hand-made, using age-old methods and raw milk.
PANE NOSTRUM
Senigallia, Marche
End of September 2019 (dates tbc)
The old town centre of Senigallia will host an event involving the flavours, the fragrances, the history and the tradition of making bread. Bread will be made in the open air: you'll have the possibility to taste different types of bread and to learn the techniques to make it.
NB: Information correct at time of publication
Stefania Gatta
Press and communication Dept.
Italian National Tourist Board
February 2019
