24 March, “Gelato Day” is celebrated across Europe

On 24 March, the 11th edition of the European Artisanal Gelato Day will be celebrated: a unique opportunity to pay homage to one of the world’s best-loved products and promote artisan knowledge and the development of the sector’s gastronomic tradition. From north to south Italy and throughout Europe, artisan gelato will be the one and only true protagonist with events, meetings and initiatives for gourmands of all ages. Gelato Day is a unique opportunity to contribute to the valorisation of this product, the promotion of artisan knowledge and the development of the sector’s gastronomic tradition.

For this 2023 edition of Gelato Day, the star will be Austria, with a flavour of the year that pays homage to a typical dessert of its tradition: Apfelstrudel, the much-loved apple strudel – white-based ice cream with apple pulp, flavoured with rum and lemon oil.

Flavour of the Year 2023 Apfelstrudel: white-based ice cream with apple pulp, flavoured with rum and lemon oil.

European Artisanal Gelato Day has been celebrated every year since 2013 on 24 March and is the only day that the European Parliament has so far dedicated to a foodstuff. The idea of establishing a day dedicated to the excellence of the ‘artisan gelato’ product came from a proposal by Longarone Fiere and Artglace. On 5 July 2012, the European Parliament officially instituted the “European Artisanal Gelato Day”, emphasising, among the reasons, that “among fresh dairy products, artisanal gelato represents excellence in terms of quality and food safety, which enhances the agri-food products of each individual member state”.

Artglace representatives meet the institutions.

Partnerships

There are many initiatives in the field for this edition. Gelato Festival World Masters, the world’s largest competition dedicated to artisan gelato, which will bring an information campaign to its events in no less than 22 countries. An important collaboration with Gambero Rosso will involve all the gelato parlours in the renowned Guida Gelaterie d’Italia to take part in the celebrations and prepare the Taste of the Year. Another important partner of the 2023 edition will be the Associazione Italiana Gelatieri and its ‘Gelato a primavera‘ (Ice Cream in Spring), the event that every year sees ice cream makers from all over Italy offer an ice cream to primary and nursery school pupils for an entire week to promote one of the products of excellence of Made in Italy. Last but not least, there will also be the Magnifici del Gelato, a free group of artisan gelato makers who have joined forces to communicate in an innovative way with all gelato enthusiasts and who bring together some of Italy’s best gelato parlours, with a campaign dedicated to Gelato Day that will run through the pages of national newspapers and the digital pages of social and Food Professional Network platforms. Not forgetting Confartigianato Nazionale, which has always supported the European Artisan Gelato Day with initiatives, campaigns and involving all its regional and provincial associates.

Videocontest open to all European ice-cream makers, valid from 1 March until 30 September 2023.

Videocontest

After last year’s success, the year 2023 also calls on master ice-cream makers from all over Europe with the video contest organised by Artglace, featuring ‘Apfelstrudel’, the Flavour of the Year 2023. The challenge invites all participants to make a video of a maximum duration of 90 seconds in which to show the creation of the official recipe, customising it with creativity and skill. Participation, which is free of charge and open to all European ice-cream makers, will be valid from 1 March until 30 September. The videos will then be assessed by a jury of experts, who will be called upon to vote on the basis of a number of criteria, namely the originality of the presentation, the quality of the video, the illustration of the production process, and the aesthetics and decoration of the tub. The first three European gelato makers classified will be awarded during the presentation ceremony of the twelfth edition of Gelato Day, which will be held at the Rimini Exhibition Centre on the occasion of SIGEP 2024. And it doesn’t end here: all the videos received by Artglace will be published on the Gelato Day YouTube channel, giving all the world’s gourmands the chance to enter the workshops and discover the work, mastery and creativity behind an excellent tub of gelato.

All gelato parlours in Italy and Europe are invited to join the 2023 edition of Gelato Day by registering at www.gelato-day.it and pointing out all the initiatives planned for 24 March.