Florence, the famous city of art, takes on an unusual role between the 28 and 31 May 2010, when the Icecream Festival will be held in some of the citys finest squares. The Gelato Festival will transform Florence into a gastronomic theme park, where visitors can discover the secrets of Italian icecream.

Main locations are: Piazza Santissima Annunziata, which will become the Village of hand-made icecream (Villaggio del Gelato Artigianale), with small icecream-makers from all over Italy offering a vast selection of natural flavours. Children will be specially catered for with games and educational activities organized in conjunction with the Istituto degli Innocenti. There will also be an exhibnition on the history of icecream-making. In fact, the iced dessert is believed to have been the invention of Bernardo Buontalenti, a 16 th century Florentine. Industrial icecream manufacturers, instead, will congregate in Piazza della Repubblica, along with other events connected with the Festival.  

300,000 visitors are expected to attend the Firenze Gelato Festival. One of the objectives of the Festival is to press for European Union recognition of the STG (Guaranteed Traditional Speciality) for Italian icecream.

For information: www.firenzegelatofestival.it