The Almond Festival returns today and tomorrow. The program includes conferences, exhibitions, workshops, tastings, cooking demonstrations, and performances. There will also be a focus on protecting local varieties and short supply chains.

Sant'Andrea Frius is dedicating an entire weekend to one of the most iconic products of Sardinia's agricultural and gastronomic tradition. Today and tomorrow, the town hosts the Almond Festival, with a program that showcases local produce, biodiversity, culture, cuisine, and entertainment.

The event kicks off this morning at 10:00 a.m. at the Social Center with the official opening, followed by the roundtable discussion "Local Experiences on Almond Biodiversity and Short Supply Chains," organized in collaboration with Laore Sardegna. This event focuses not only on the product, but also on the future of almond cultivation on the island.

After greetings from the mayor of Sant'Andrea Frius, Simone Melis, the president of the Gal Sole Grano Terra, Antonino Arba, and the president of the Pro Loco Frias, Antonello Melis, the discussion will address various aspects related to the cultivation's promotion. Among the topics on the agenda are regional laws dedicated to almonds, the Regional Almond Protection Community project, Trexenta's experiences with biodiverse varieties and short supply chains, organic farming and cultivation techniques, as well as updates on Gal Sole Grano Terra's programs.

At 6:30 pm, again at the Social Center, there will be space for literature with the presentation of the works "The Purple Shoes" by Raffaella Pia Cappai, "The Murders of San Basilio" by Raimondo Mascia, and "Innocence in Chains" by Tore Quartu.

The program will kick off on Sunday, October 4th. From 10:00 a.m., exhibitors' stands will open along the town streets, and the Sardinian Almond Sweets Exhibition will be held in the Parish Hall. The day will also kick off with a traveling concert by the "Giuseppe Verdi" band from Sant'Andrea Frius.

At 10:30 a.m., the Municipal Library will host a reading promotion event and a creative workshop dedicated to almonds, traditions, and the local area, organized by the Sarrabus Gerrei Territorial Library System. At the same time, a tasting of almond sweets offered by the Pro Loco Frias will begin.

At 11:00 a.m., there's a cooking show by chef Pierpaolo Argiolu "Cozzina," supported by chef Graziano Serra and gastronome Raimondo Mandis. In the afternoon, starting at 3:00 p.m., the bibliographical exhibition dedicated to Sardinian cuisine and gastronomic tradition will open.

Also at 3 pm, one of the most traditional events will take place: a demonstration of how to make traditional almond cake, followed by the award ceremony for the cakes participating in the fourth edition of the "Sa trutta de Tzia Efisiedda" competition.

Starting at 4:00 PM, Giuliano Marongiu's "Isola in Festa" folk festival will kick off on the stage in Via Garibaldi, featuring folk groups and numerous artists. At 6:00 PM, there will be another tasting of almond pastries, courtesy of the Pro Loco.

Throughout the day, there will also be music on the accordion played by Federico Coni and the voice of Salvatore Contu, refreshments, live amaretti and gattou baking, and the sale of Sardinian almond sweets.

A festival that begins with gastronomy but also looks to the protection of an agricultural and cultural heritage, with the goal of bringing local varieties, almond biodiversity, and a supply chain capable of creating value in the area back to the forefront.

© Riproduzione riservata