The thirteenth Festival del Prosciutto di Parma [Parma Ham Festival] opens in the town on Friday.
For the first time, the events will be coordinated by the Fiere di Parma and this year's festival is particularly ambitious, involving 164 producers, 5,000 pig farms and 3,000 employees.
The organisers want to make the 2010 edition a truly international festival and have planned activities such as mountain bike rides, dances in the castles of the Province of Parma, golf competitions, cultural events and special events for children.
Of course, the most important events are the gastronomic ones and the organisers are particularly proud of the “Finestre Aperte” [“Open Windows”] initiative in which Province's ham factories will open their doors to visitors, who will be able to see exactly how the product is produced.
Shuttle buses will take visitors form the city centre to the ham factories' premises.
At the Museo del Prosciutto e Salame [Ham and Salame Museum] in the ancient Foro Boaria in Langhirano visitors can also learn about the history of the product, the breeds used, the use of salt in the preservation of the ham, traditional butchery techniques, the use of ham in gastronomy and much more.
The festival ends with a three-day party from 17th - 19th September and on these days there will be tasting stands in the city's main squares.
There will also be a market exhibition of local products and on Saturday 18th September at 5pm there will be a charity auction of quality hams.
For more information please visit the festival website.
To book a “Finestre Aperte” tour please call freephone: 800 165 300.
You can also follow the festival on facebook.
