Rice Fair Kicks Off in Villa Boschi With Gastronomic Competitions
Arriving promptly with autumn, the Rice Fair begins. The event officially starts next Friday, September 21, and ends on October 7, but in reality, it kicks off this evening at Villa Boschi with the roundtable “Rice and Education in Schools”. Participating are the twenty-four mayors of the rice-producing area with the European Protected Geographical Indication label, and with the first of the gastronomic competitions scheduled, the “Golden Risotto of IGP”.
Organized by the Pro loco and the Fairs Office of the Municipality, in collaboration with many local associations and private citizens, the Fair, now at its 35th edition, has seen a tremendous growth, especially in recent years, in the number of visitors and risotto enthusiasts. Not even last year’s rainy evenings stopped it; a success confirmed year after year and measured by the number of risottos consumed, reaching a record total of two hundred thousand.
For this edition as well, the event is previewed by the gastronomic competitions that have made it famous, but it will be presented by a Grand Gala at Villa Boschi on Thursday at 8 p.m. and officially inaugurated on Friday, September 21 at 7 p.m. at the Pra’ del Piganzo fair area.
For Mayor Liana Montalto, who took office last May, this is her first inauguration. “As Administration,” she says, “we inherited the organization of the fair, which we found already underway and which seems good to me. The program for this year follows that of previous editions, but next year, we believe the fair should also be an occasion for cultural growth.”
Objectives and Safety of the Event
“The fair is a well-established reality and it’s well known how important it is for the town,” adds Alberto Fenzi, the events councilor. “We are committed to evolving it for the future, not limiting its success to the commercial aspect, or the number of risottos sold. Until last year, I attended the fair as a private citizen and saw what needed improvement.
This year, an anonymous commission will patrol the stands to check the quality of the rice and the service provided, especially since the price of risottos has been increased to seven thousand lire (up from six thousand since 1996, ed.). Those who do not respect the rules will face a fine. We have also given maximum attention to safety, particularly regarding the fire prevention system and the installations.”
The tents set up on the fair area can accommodate five thousand people; at the gastronomic stands, visitors can taste the now-famous Risotto all’Isolana, as well as the “alternative” risottos prepared by districts that participated last year in the Risotto Palio.
To avoid queues at the cash registers, risotto vouchers can now be purchased throughout the event at many authorized shops. The fair also makes another step forward in terms of hygienic-sanitary guarantees.
“The risotto chefs,” explains Gabriele Ferron, president of the Pro loco and chef, “are all certified members of the Association of Risotto Chefs, which guarantees professionalism and adherence to hygienic-sanitary standards that few outdoor events observe. From this perspective, we are pioneers.”
“The risotto chefs,” he adds, “are gaining success and are called to cook all over Italy because they are true professionals of risotto prepared in all styles, from the one with Terni’s truffles to that with Vicenza’s cod. Among the members are also foreign chefs who want to deepen their knowledge of risotto preparation.”
The operating hours of the gastronomic stands are from 12 to 2 p.m. and from 6:30 to midnight on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to midnight on holidays.
