Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2016. Where the new diffused edition will be hosted

From Salone del Gusto to Terra Madre Salone del Gusto

Turin’s celebration of food excellence celebrates its 20th year anniversary, the occasion fostered big changes. Some of the Salone del Gusto 2016 edition changes include a new venue – or rather – venues, and different dates, plus added attention to the Terra Madre project created by Slow Food in 2004 gathering agricultural and alimentary organs in the struggle towards safeguarding local production. The attention is such that it prompted the event’s name which from this year onwards will be known as Terra Madre Salone del Gusto.

The venue

The Mayor’s office has approved the gratuity of public land requested by Mayor Chiara Appendino. The spaces of Parco del Valentino are confirmed. They will be taken from August 29 to October 7 ottobre for the convention stalls, in addition to this pavillions 2, 2b and 3 at Torino Esposizioni have also been confirmed. Concession of a further added pavillion 5 will depend on possible election services held those days. Furthermore including piazzale Valdo Fusi, piazza San Carlo and piazza Castello, and with the entire stretch of via Po transformed into “strada del gelato di qualità”, or quality gelato avenue. Various food trucks and kitchens on wheels will occupy the Murazzi on the river Po. Other areas of the city summoned for the las will include Eataly, Circolo dei Lettori, Palazzo Reale and Teatro Carignano.

Hence no longer a stable, single convention venue at the Lingotto as hoped (costs of a traditional convention space are now exorbitant), rather a dynamic event spread across central areas and suburbs, involving the entire city. Turin and more generically the entire region of  Piemonte, takes on an even more significant role in this special edition, with celebrations for SLow Food’s 30th anniversary as well. What this year’s event proposes is exactly this: live in "harmony with the venues that host it bringing awareness to visitors in regards to our cultural heritage”, as commented by Carlo Petrini.

Program and dates

Dates of the event have been scheduled as September 22 - 26, but the full program is still TBD, it will be revealed as the dates grow closer. There will be 180 educational events for schools and more than 5,000 producers hailing from 160 different countries for the degustations. This year’s theme is Voler bene alla terra, or Loving the land. A topic which is in complete harmony with the philosophy of Slow Food and which must promptly “brought as close as possible to the citizens”, according to Turin’s ex former Mayor Piero Fassino. Among the guests this year will be Italian President Sergio Mattarella who, according to Petrini, considers his participation to this event “his duty”. There will also be tasting labs, workshops, activities for children, lots of tastings, forum and conferences as part of the convention which for the past 20 years since its onset never ceases to amaze.

Terra Madre Salone del Gusto | Turin | 22-26 September 2016 | www.salonedelgusto.com

by Michela Becchi
translated by ELeonora Baldwin