The largest and most culturally-significant food and wine fair in the world, Terra Madre Salone del Gusto, has a new name and a new location to mark its 11th edition. This unique event is not to be missed! With the 2016 edition we complete the process of combining Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre into one event, a process which began in 2012. This year, more than ever, the true protagonist is the “rural spirit” of the event, as embodied by Terra Madre, giving the limelight to the small-scale food producers securing a future for good, clean and fair food for all.
For the first time, the event will be held outdoors, around several of the most beautiful and symbolic locations of Turin, Italy from September 22-26, 2016. Unlike previous years, there’s no general ticket of admission, though this excludes paid events like Taste Workshops, Cooking Schools and Dinner Dates, which all require reservation. Palaces, museums, parks and more will host a wide array of workshops, conferences, forums, street food, exhibitions and of course, at the center of it all, the enormous Market at Valentino Park, where visitors can meet farmers and artisans in person. That’s what makes Terra Madre Salone del Gusto truly special: the opportunity to discover the planet’s incredible agricultural biodiversity and its custodians for yourself, and meet the faces behind the food, demystifying the long journey from field to fork that most of our meals make.
Beyond the experience that Terra Madre Salone del Gusto offers to its visitors, it’s also, and perhaps more importantly, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our delegates to meet each other – there will be 5,000 of them this year, from every continent, many of whom will be leaving their native lands for the first time. In a far-reaching program of forums, these farmers, fishers, herders and artisans will come together to share their experiences, their histories, the problems they face and the potential solutions.
The theme of this year’s event is “loving the earth”: taking care of our planet and its environment is an imperative for us all, and we want to put it into practice by rediscovering the pleasure of working together, be it with food producers, educators, chefs, researchers, farmers, food communities or families. That means engaging the public on what it means to “be a farmer”, “be a co-producer” and “make your own vegetable garden”. Slow Food’s outreach program aims to encourage as many people as possible to start growing their own food, again, bringing us all closer with it means to be a food producer, and putting us back in touch with our roots, quite literally!
Of course, beyond growing the food, we’ll be learning more about it too. The Taste Workshops have been a firm favorite in the event calendar since their inception 20 years ago, wherein participants discover the secrets behind some of the world’s greatest gastronomic treasures, meeting producers chefs and experts in person. This year they are being held in gorgeous city center locations, so be sure to book early as they will sell out fast! Tickets are on sale on the event website now.
With so many innovations and experiments on offer, Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016 promises to be a breathtaking affair, not least for the long list of landmark locations it takes in: the Royal Palace, the Mole Antonelliana, Valentino Park, the Carignano Theater, Piazza San Carlo, the Egyptian Museum, and many more. Stay tuned for updates, and mark the dates in your calendar: from September 22-26, 2016, Terra Madre Salone del Gusto hits the streets!