Gelato Festival America Brings All the Gelato You Can Eat in One Day!

­After the great success of last year’s first edition, Gelato Festival America kicks off its second American tour on August 11 in Jersey City, with twice as many locations. The Gelato Festival will spread awareness of real Italian artisanal gelato through a contest in which gelato artisans and chefs will compete with original gelato flavors they have created for the event. Tropical Blast, Spicy Green Paradise, Sicily Orange Sunrise, and Fresh Love were just a few of the flavors invented last year. Be the first to discover this year’s new creations!

Ticket holders gain full access to Gelato Festival America for one day at the location for which they purchase tickets. Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (65+), $25 for kids (3 to 12 years old), and free for children under two years old. Those who purchase tickets for the Gelato Festival online in advance receive a discounted price: $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and kids (must show ID at the gate!). The all-access ticket will allow them to enjoy a scoop of each of the unique flavors created by the competing gelato chefs, the sponsored flavors, and flavors from Carpigiani’s Gelato University. Ticket holders will be able to vote for their favorite competing gelato flavor, helping to decide the winner for each city. Their voting will comprise 50% of the decision; the rest is in the hands of the technical jury, who will judge the gelato based on presentation, flavor, and structure. Presale tickets can be found online at gelatofestivalamerica.com/ticket and on Eventbrite. Tickets will be sold at each venue as well.

The ticket is an all-access pass to all of the activities and reserved events of Gelato Festival America 2018, listed below.

• Attend the Gelato School, where award-winning gelato artisans and experts will share what it takes to be a gelato chef and professional
• Participate in the Gelato Eating Contest, where the five people to eat five cups of gelato the fastest will win a gallon of gelato!
• Serve on the Kid’s Jury, where children have the opportunity to question the chefs and vote for their favorite flavor. Know a young foodie who might be interested? Email info@gelatofestivalamerica.com

Last year, 50 gelato makers competed with unique gelato flavors to produce over 13,500 pounds of gelato to the delight of over 40,000 visitors and 150 gelato professionals who were present at the Festival in 2017. With the growth of Gelato Festival America, over 100,000 people are expected to attend the 2018 edition.

This year, the Festival will tour eight cities in the US, including:

August 11-12 ‹ Jersey City, NJ*
Liberty State Park
200 Morris Pesin Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07305

August 18-19 ‹ Boulder, CO
Twenty Ninth Street
1710 29th St, Boulder, CO 80301

August 25-26 ‹ Chicago, IL*
Chicago Premium Outlets
1650 Premium Outlet Blvd, Aurora, IL 60502

 September 8-9 ‹ Washington DC*
City Market at O
800 P St NW, Washington, DC 20001

September 22-23 ‹ Los Angeles*
Malibu Country Mart
3835 Cross Creek Rd, Malibu, CA 90265

September 29-30 ‹ Dallas, TX*
Dallas Farmers Market
920 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201

October 20-21 ‹ Scottsdale, AZ
Kierland Commons
15205 N Kierland Blvd Suite 150, Scottsdale, AZ 85254

October 27-28 ‹ Tucson, AZ
La Encantada
2905 E Skyline Dr, Tucson, AZ 85718

 * new locations

“After the huge success all over Europe, and our first edition of the Gelato Festival in the USA in 2017, we realize that Americans really do love gelato,” expressed Daniele Palazzoni, General Manager of Gelato Festival America. “It is our goal to make certain that every American gets to taste what real Italian gelato is like and to spread the culture of artisan Italian gelato throughout the world’s largest consumer market for frozen desserts. We want to focus on the higher quality of artisanal gelato and artisanal frozen desserts compared to industrial products. Also, over the next three years the winners of each stage of Gelato Festival America will compete for the selection of the three best American gelato chefs who will be part of the 36 chefs from all over the world, who will vie for the title of World Champion in the Gelato Festival World Masters Final in Italy in 2021. I invite visitors in the US to cheer and sustain their favorite chefs because the best gelato chef in the world could be an American!” Last year, 50 gelato makers competed with unique gelato flavors to produce over 13,500 pounds of gelato to the delight of over 40,000 visitors and 150 gelato professionals who were present at the Festival in 2017. With the growth of Gelato Festival America, over 100,000 people are expected to attend the 2018 edition.

This year, the festival will feature a new Mobile Laboratory called “Buontalenti America.” Daniele Palazzoni describes it as “the world largest frozen dessert laboratory on wheels. Even bigger than the one that was used during the Gelato Festival European tour, which so far has the title of largest in the world.” “Buontalenti America” is a 38 foot Gooseneck expandable trailer. When fully opened, it is about 800 square feet and equipped with the best and most innovative machines provided by Carpigiani. Palazzoni says, “It has big windows while cameras and screens will also live stream the production of gelato. All the flavors will be made fresh daily, on site, in every city. It can produce 6000 pounds of gelato per day and accommodate eight chefs in action at the same time.”

Artisans and chefs will go through a rigorous selection process to compete in each city with a unique flavor specifically conceived for Gelato Festival America. The winners will then compete in an American grand finale. Ultimately, the remaining 36 competitors will vie for the title of World Champion in the Gelato Festival World Masters Final in Italy in 2021.

ABOUT THE GELATO FESTIVAL

Since 2010, the Gelato Festival has had nine editions with more than 2,200 artisans competing in 64 festivals across Europe, traveling almost 30,000 miles. The mission of Gelato Festival America is to spread the culture of artisan Italian gelato in the US. Originating in Florence, Italy, Gelato Festival is an all-star line up of the biggest names in gelato artistry competing against one another with a one-time flavor they have created just for the festival. The event gives visitors the opportunity to experience the secrets of high-quality gelato, learn about the production techniques by watching the artisans at work in the “laboratory”, taste all the competing flavors, and vote for their favorite one.

Over the next three years, there will be 22 festivals and two American finals. In the end, the best three gelato chefs from the US will be selected to participate in the Gelato Festival World Masters Worldwide Finals in Italy in 2021.

The Gelato Festival is picking up where Renaissance artist Bernardo Buontalenti left off, spreading the culture of artisan Italian gelato throughout the world!