Florence, April 26, 2026. The 90th edition of MIDA – the International Handicrafts Fair – continues successfully at the Fortezza da Basso and will run until Sunday, May 3. Following the enthusiasm of the first two days, which saw a large turnout, tomorrow’s program, Monday April 27, is packed with events, with a particular focus on youth education, excellence in restoration, and local culinary traditions.

The cultural heart of the day will be the Lorenese Theatre, which will inaugurate its cycle of educational conferences at 10:00 a.m. with the meeting “Education and training: skills for the handicraft sector. A challenge for the future of Made in Italy.” The debate, featuring Undersecretary at the Ministry of Education and Merit Paola Frassinetti, will address the crucial challenge of generational turnover and the transmission of knowledge in Made in Italy, thanks to the collaboration between Firenze Fiera, the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Regional School Office of Tuscany, and Artex. In the afternoon, at 4:00 p.m., the scene will change dramatically with “Afghanistan 2003–2026,” a compelling visual and sound journey into contemporary Afghan reality, curated by the Social Geography Laboratory of the University of Florence, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, in collaboration with Firenze Fiera.

Meanwhile, until Thursday, April 30, MIDA90 will host in the Arsenale Pavilion the 10th edition of the Art and Restoration Fair. As part of the “Florence, City of Restoration” project promoted by the Florence Chamber of Commerce and operationally developed by PromoFirenze, the initiative strengthens Florence’s role as a global capital of artistic and cultural heritage restoration, involving major trade associations and the Italian Ministry of Culture.

For food and wine enthusiasts, the place to be is the top floor of the Spadolini Pavilion: the morning will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a masterclass by chef Paolo Lavezzini of the Four Seasons Florence for students from the Enriques Institute of Castelfiorentino, while at 4:00 p.m. it will be time for authentic tradition with a cooking show by Yuri Maselli of I’ Bolliti in Florence, dedicated to Florentine tripe.

The day will conclude in the North-West Square, where from 7:00 p.m. street food will set the scene for a musical performance by saxophonist Matteo Biancalani together with Wally DJ.

INFO
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Street food and live music: free entry 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.*
May 3 closing at 8:00 p.m.