Milan, February 28, 2024 – The twelfth edition of the European Artisanal Gelato Day will be celebrated next March 24th. Promoted by Longarone Fiere Dolomiti and Artglace, this day will be a unique opportunity to pay homage to one of the most loved gastronomic products worldwide and the artisanal knowledge and development of the gastronomic tradition in the sector. From North to South of Italy and throughout Europe, artisanal gelato will be the undisputed protagonist with a series of events, meetings, and initiatives aimed at enthusiasts of all ages. And, of course, with cones and cups, which this year will feature the flavor "Gaufre de Liège": a neutral-based gelato flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, variegated with salted butter and accompanied by a waffle, chosen as the Flavor of the Year 2024 by Belgium, which will be offered in gelato shops in its original recipe or in creative variations.
PARTNERSHIP. Tasting the Flavor of the Year will be easy: indeed, dozens of gelato shops will participate in the next edition of Gelato Day. Starting from those included in the prestigious Gelaterie d'Italia Guide by Gambero Rosso, which this year has renewed its partnership with the European Artisanal Gelato Day. Another important partner for the 2024 edition will be the Italian Gelato Association and its event "Gelato in Spring", which since 1986 has involved gelato makers from all over Italy in offering gelato to elementary and nursery school children to promote, in a simple but always highly appreciated way, one of the excellent products of Made in Italy. Furthermore, ConGelato will support Gelato Day during the second edition of Milan Gelato Week, scheduled from April 10th to 14th, 2024. Moreover, the twelfth edition of Gelato Day will also see the participation of the National Confederation of Craftsmanship, which has always supported the European Artisanal Gelato Day involving all its regional and provincial associates in initiatives and campaigns, ACOMAG - National Association of Manufacturers of Machines, Furnishings, and Equipment for Gelato, CNA, Campania Gelato Makers Committee, Conpait Gelato – Italian Confectioners Confederation, Italian Gelato Federation, G.A. - National Committee for the Defense and Diffusion of Artisanal Gelato and Homemade Production, G.A.T. – Artisan Gelato Makers of the Triveneto, Ilgelatoartigianale.info, Masters of Italian Gelato, SIGEP - International Exhibition for Gelato, Pastry, Artisan Bakery, and Coffee by Italian Exhibition Group.
THE VIDEO CONTEST. After the success of the first two editions, also for 2024, Artglace invites gelato masters from all over Europe to open the doors of their laboratories and challenge themselves with the video contest dedicated to the Flavor of the Year. Participants will compete with creativity to create a video lasting a maximum of 90 seconds showing the making of "Gaufre de Liège", using the ingredients specified in the official recipe. Participation, free and open to all European gelato makers, will be valid from March 1st to October 30th, 2024: the videos will then be evaluated by a panel of experts, called upon to vote based on several criteria, namely the originality of the presentation, video quality, illustration of the production process of the "Gaufre de Liège" flavor, aesthetics, and decoration of the container. The top three European gelato makers will be awarded during the presentation ceremony of the thirteenth edition of Gelato Day, which will take place at the Rimini Fiera during SIGEP 2025 (complete regulations available on the website www.gelato-day.com). And it doesn't end there: all the videos received by Artglace will be published on the Gelato Day YouTube channel, giving all the dessert lovers in the world the opportunity to enter the laboratories and discover the work, skill, and creativity behind an excellent tub of gelato.
Moreover, there will be numerous initiatives on the occasion of the European Artisanal Gelato Day that will enliven Italy and Europe with taste, solidarity, and culture.
"There is really little time left until the highly anticipated new edition of Gelato Day. The calendar of activities to celebrate this gastronomic excellence continues to thicken and for this, we are extremely grateful to all the gelato makers and all our partners who, year after year, increasingly numerous, continue to confirm the common feeling linked to artisanal gelato and to work alongside us to promote and enhance a product of high quality, capable of bringing people together. This not only in Italy but throughout Europe and beyond," says Domenico Belmonte, President of Artglace. Without forgetting the contest open to all European gelato makers: a unique opportunity to delve into the creativity of gelato artisans, allowing you to discover not only techniques and ingredients but also the faces and stories of all the people behind an excellent artisanal gelato."
All updates on the twelfth edition of Gelato Day are available on the website www.gelato-day.com and on the official Gelato Day pages on Facebook (@24MarzoEuropeanGelatoDay), Instagram (@Gelato_Day), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/GelatoDay). All gelato shops in Italy and Europe are invited to participate in the 2024 edition of Gelato Day by registering on the website www.gelato-day.com and reporting all the initiatives planned for March 24, 2024.
The European Artisanal Gelato Day is the only day that the European Parliament has so far dedicated to a food. Celebrated on March 24th of each year in all European countries, with events, meetings, and initiatives aimed at spreading the culture of artisanal gelato, that of "Gelato Day" is a unique opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of this product, to the promotion of artisanal knowledge, and to the development of the gastronomic tradition in the sector. The peculiarity of "Gelato Day" is the "Flavor of the Year", chosen every year by one of the participating countries: for the twelfth edition of Gelato Day on March 24, 2024, it will be "Gaufre de Liège", chosen by Belgium, a neutral-based gelato flavored with vanilla and cinnamon, variegated with salted butter, and accompanied by a Liège waffle.
Alongside its creators, Longarone Fiere Dolomiti and Artglace, Gelato Day partners for the 2024 edition include: ACOMAG - National Association of Manufacturers of Machines, Furnishings, and Equipment for Gelato, Italian Gelato Association, CNA, Campania Gelato Makers Committee, Confartigianato, Conpait Gelato – Italian Confectioners Confederation, Italian Gelato Federation, G.A. - National Committee for the Defense and Diffusion of Artisanal Gelato and Homemade Production, G.A.T. – Artisan Gelato Makers of the Triveneto, Ilgelatoartigianale.info, Masters of Italian Gelato, SIGEP - International Exhibition for Gelato, Pastry, Artisan Bakery, and Coffee by Italian Exhibition Group.