From 13 to 16 November 2026, Palermo will become the international capital of artisanal gelato. The Sicilian city will host the eighteenth edition of Sherbeth Festival, bringing together 60 master gelato makers from five continents, alongside chefs, researchers, journalists and leading figures from the international gastronomic scene.
For four days, Palermo's historic city centre will become a large-scale venue dedicated to artisanal gelato culture, with tastings, workshops, talks and discussions highlighting the quality of ingredients, the creativity of professionals and the value of different gastronomic traditions.
More than just a festival devoted to tasting, Sherbeth offers an opportunity to discover the world of contemporary artisanal gelato and the cultural heritage behind it. From Piazza Verdi and the Teatro Massimo to the Politeama Garibaldi Theatre, the festival will involve some of Palermo's most iconic locations, creating an experience that brings together gastronomy, tourism and culture.
Artisanal Gelato as Cultural Heritage: From Palermo to Paris in the Footsteps of Francesco Procopio Cutò
One of the central themes of the 2026 edition is the historical connection between Palermo and the spread of gelato around the world. This relationship is closely associated with Francesco Procopio Cutò, the Sicilian gelato maker who helped make gelato famous in the French capital through the Café Procope in Paris.
This story is at the heart of the collaboration between Sherbeth and Le Vie dei Tesori, with the guided itinerary A Magician Among Streets and Gelato: From the Capo District to the Grandeur of Paris.
The tour takes visitors through Palermo's Capo district, past the Church of Sant'Ippolito and along narrow streets and traditional shops, before reaching the square named after the Sicilian gelato maker. The itinerary retraces his origins in Palermo, his family history and his success in Paris, highlighting gelato as an expression of cultural heritage that connects places and generations.
Guided tours are scheduled for 7 and 14 November. The latter date coincides with Sherbeth, allowing visitors to combine gelato tastings with a journey through the history of gelato in Palermo. Participants will also receive a copy of Luciana Polliotti's book dedicated to Francesco Procopio Cutò, published by Fausto Lupetti Editore.
The tour lasts approximately two hours and costs €10 per person.
Sherbeth: Eighteen Editions and an International Community of Master Gelato Makers
Founded in Cefalù in 2007 and relocated to Palermo in 2015, Sherbeth has progressively developed an international profile, becoming a meeting point for gelato professionals from different cultures and production traditions.
The figures from the first seventeen editions illustrate the festival's growth: according to the organisers, the event has welcomed a total of 1.8 million visitors, involved 2,350 master gelato makers and served 10.5 million tastings.
The 2026 edition continues this journey, bringing together 60 professionals from five continents, each interpreting gelato through ingredients, techniques and culinary influences rooted in their respective territories.
This international exchange is one of the festival's defining features. Artisanal gelato becomes a shared language, capable of celebrating local identities while encouraging the exchange of knowledge, experience and innovation.
For visitors, this means discovering different flavours and interpretations, learning about the ingredients used and meeting the professionals who work every day to develop and renew artisanal gelato culture.
Sherbeth Festival 2026 Programme: Talks, Science and New Perspectives on Gelato
The heart of the cultural programme will be the Officina Culturale, set up in Piazza Verdi, in front of the Teatro Massimo. It will provide a space for discussion, exploring artisanal gelato from different perspectives: scientific research, gastronomy, business, social sustainability and the opportunities offered by international markets.
Friday, 13 November, will open with a discussion on the new vision of contemporary artisanal gelato. The programme will include sessions entitled When Territory Becomes a Story, Italy Through the Eyes of the World and When Gelato Creates Social Value, focusing on the relationship between employment, legality and social inclusion.
Saturday, 14 November, will explore the connections between gelato making, mixology and fine dining. Sessions entitled New Forms of Gelato and Doing Business will examine new opportunities for the sector, while Gelato and Haute Cuisine will explore the interaction between gelato making and gastronomy. Davide Cassi, Stefano Guizzetti and Arnaldo Conforto will also discuss the relationship between chemistry, technique and creativity in gelato production.
Sunday, 15 November, will focus on internationalisation with the session Gelato Without Borders, dedicated to the role of artisanal gelato as an ambassador of Italian gastronomic culture around the world.
Speakers will include journalist Gianni Riotta; Francesca Cavallo, Head of Hospitality Exhibitions at Fiera Milano; Sylvia Chao, winner of Sherbeth 2025; and master gelato maker Giovanna Musumeci. The discussion will be moderated by Danilo Poggio.
The session will explore the relationship between geopolitics, international markets, trade fairs and craftsmanship, examining how gelato, while maintaining its strong connection with Italian tradition, has become a product capable of crossing cultural and national boundaries, creating new business opportunities and connections between territories.
At 6:30 pm, the relationship between gelato and fine dining will be explored further in a session dedicated to gelato as an expression of gastronomic culture in contemporary restaurants. Speakers will include Alberto Cauzzi, Stefano Guizzetti, Davide Guidara and Martina Caruso.
Alongside the talks, the festival will offer tastings, visits to the gelato production facility and guided tours for children, adults and journalists. The programme will also include Sherbeth Young, an educational workshop led by master gelato maker Angelo Grasso, designed to introduce younger generations to the ingredients and production processes behind artisanal gelato.
The Francesco Procopio Cutò International Competition and the Night of Gelato
The closing day, Monday, 16 November, will be dedicated to the Francesco Procopio Cutò International Competition, one of the highlights of Sherbeth, where master gelato makers will compete by presenting their own creations.
The technical jury will be chaired by Amanda Dupas de Matos, with Sylvia Chao serving as honorary president. Other members will include Stefano Predieri, Massimiliano Magli, Stella Lignou and Maya Warren.
The critics' jury will include Bruno Petronilli, Erica Firpo and Pina Sozio, with Eleonora Cozzella as president.
The awards ceremony will be the highlight of the Night of Gelato, scheduled for 8:30 pm at the Politeama Garibaldi Theatre. Hosted by Maddalena Fossati and Danilo Poggio, the evening will celebrate the competition's winners and the work of international master gelato makers.
The award, named after Francesco Procopio Cutò, pays tribute to the historical roots of gelato making and to the contribution of a Sicilian professional who helped spread gelato throughout Europe. This brings the festival's cultural journey full circle: from the streets of Palermo that tell the story of its origins to the theatre celebrating its contemporary interpreters.
Palermo and Artisanal Gelato: An Experience Combining Gastronomy, Tourism and Identity
With its eighteenth edition, Sherbeth reaffirms the role of artisanal gelato as a cultural and tourist attraction, capable of helping promote destinations beyond the traditional peak holiday season.
The festival demonstrates that gelato is more than a gastronomic product: it is the result of a culture built on skills, research, ingredients, traditions and creativity. A heritage that originates in Italy, grows through international exchange and finds new forms of expression in the many different interpretations of artisanal gelato.
In Palermo, a city historically connected to gelato culture and its spread throughout Europe, this dimension takes on particular significance. Sherbeth thus becomes an opportunity to introduce Italian artisanal gelato to the world while highlighting the cultural value of one of Italy's most recognisable gastronomic specialities.
Sherbeth Festival 2026 – Contemporary Artisanal Gelato
- Location: Palermo, historic city centre
- Dates: 13–16 November 2026
- Edition: 18th
- Participants: 60 master gelato makers from five continents
- Programme: Tastings, talks, workshops, gastronomic research, international competition and cultural itineraries.
For information about the programme and activities:
Official Sherbeth Festival website