Florence, 11 december 2025. Castanea Expo 2025, the first national trade fair dedicated to chestnut cultivation, opens at the Fortezza da Basso from tomorrow, Friday 12 December, through Sunday.

The opening ceremony, scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Teatrino Lorenese, will feature, alongside the President of Firenze Fiera Lorenzo Becattini, Eugenio Giani, President of the Tuscany Region; MEP Dario Nardella; MP Irene Gori, member of the 13th Agriculture Committee of the Italian Chamber of Deputies representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF); Enrico Ricci, President of the Economic Development Committee of the Municipality of Florence; and Aldo Cursano, President of PromoFirenze.
This will be followed by speeches by Dimitris TseTsilas, Vice-Governor for the Primary Sector and Agricultural Economy of Thessaly (Greece), and Bertrand Guérin, President of Eurocastanea.

The reading of selected passages by internationally renowned authors dedicated to this prized “fruit” (including Dino Campana, born in Marradi, a town famous for its marron buono) will be performed by actor and voice actor Ugo De Vita.

Numerous initiatives will animate the three-day fair, including exhibitions, conferences, workshops, training laboratories, showcases dedicated to the production of beers and honeys, previews of chestnut flours, as well as tastings and show cooking events.

Among the highlights of the first day is the conference “Chestnuts and marrons: production, conservation and consumption in Italy and Europe” (12:00 noon, Teatrino Lorenese), organized by the Centre for the Study and Documentation of the Chestnut of Marradi, and “Understanding Chestnut Biodiversity,” organized by Slow Food Italy at their stand at 5:00 p.m.
Also at the Teatrino Lorenese, at 3:00 p.m., the Assembly of the Tuscan Regional Chestnut District will take place, promoted by the Tuscany Region and ANCI Toscana.

In the morning, at the MASAF stand, the spotlight will be on the conference “Granaglione Educational and Experimental Chestnut Grove” at 10:00 a.m., promoted by the National Centre for the Study and Conservation of Forest Biodiversity – National Academy of Agriculture and the Emilia-Romagna Region, followed at 2:00 p.m. by “Timber Chestnut Cultivation: Present and Future of the Supply Chain,” organized by CREA Forestry and Wood.

CASTANEA EXPO has free admission upon registration.

Opening hours: every day from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last day closing at 6:00 p.m.)

Zoom link for remote connection:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81573473435

Full program available at: www.castaneaexpo.it