On 27 August 2019, Gelato Festival announced its return to the United States capital. Gelato chefs from around the world competed with original flavours on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September in front of City Market at O, celebrating Italy’s most famous frozen dessert. In a city known for politics, cold gelato proved a treat everyone could agree on.

How the festival works

The festival is organised in collaboration with Carpigiani and Sigep – Italian Exhibition Group, with Air Italy as Global Partner. It spreads knowledge and enjoyment of real Italian artisan gelato through a contest in which the chef behind the best flavour wins a gold medal made by Florentine goldsmith Paolo Penko. A wristband gives guests all the gelato they can eat while they join activities and vote for their favourite gelatos and chefs. The winner continues towards the Gelato Festival World Masters in Italy.

The 2019 American tour

After Washington, the tour was due to move to West Hollywood, California, to open the first permanent Gelato Festival flagship store at 8906 Melrose Ave and to finish the season at the Pacific Design Center. The 2019 tour visited five cities:

• Miami, Florida: 16 and 17 March, Brickell City Centre.
• Boston, Massachusetts: 1 and 2 June, Boylston Plaza.
• Chicago, Illinois: 17 and 18 August, West Taylor Street.
• Washington, D.C.: 7 and 8 September, City Market at O.
• West Hollywood, California: 28 and 29 September, Pacific Design Center, as the season finale.

Miami, Boston, Chicago and West Hollywood were all new locations for the festival.

What this means for gelato makers in New Zealand

Festivals like this show how much people enjoy tasting and voting on gelato in person. If you are planning your own shop or event offer, our gelato shop guide is a good first read, and Carpigiani machines from Majors Group are built for exactly this kind of daily production.

Source: Carpigiani news. Rewritten for New Zealand by Majors Group.