D*na Festival returns to Dénia on September 27 and 28 for its eighth edition, firmly established as a showcase of Mediterranean gastronomic culture. Under the artistic direction of three-Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta, the event will bring together chefs, producers, and artisans along the scenic Paseo Marineta Cassiana, overlooking the sea.
Organized by the Dénia City of Gastronomy Foundation, the festival opens today its call for exhibitors, aimed at producers, artisans, and hospitality businesses, who may submit their applications until July 15 via the official website www.dnafestivaldenia.com.
Gastronomy as a total art form
This year’s edition highlights cooking as the most everyday of the fine arts, in dialogue with disciplines such as music, dance, cinema, literature, and visual arts. “D*na is a festival that speaks about gastronomy, but also about who we are as a community,” explains Dacosta. “It connects with the traditions of farming, fishing, agriculture, baking, beekeeping, milling… and it does so in a wonderful setting like Dénia’s Marineta Cassiana, under the Montgó and with the sea breeze.”
The festival is conceived as a sensory and cultural experience open to all audiences, where local produce becomes a creative medium and cooking itself a shared form of art.
Open call: from field to plate
The call for exhibitors is open to producers and food artisans from the Marina Alta region and the Valencian Community who work with respect for tradition and the environment: farmers, fishermen, winemakers, cheesemakers, salt curers, bakers, honey producers, or food artisans.
Products will be displayed in stalls arranged as an artistic promenade, where each ingredient tells its own story: oils, jams, cured meats, wines, breads, fruits, or sweets that reflect the richness of the Mediterranean food landscape.
Local restaurants and hospitality businesses may also join with tapas inspired by an artistic discipline and made with local produce, which will be offered to the public in the festival’s tasting areas.
A special edition
This year’s D*na coincides with the 10th anniversary of Dénia’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, a distinction that the festival has helped to promote since its inception. The program will also feature talks, live cooking shows, and workshops open to the public, where chefs, artisans, and artists will share knowledge and emotions around the art of cooking.
According to Dacosta, “D*na is a festival that has always adapted with resilience and creativity, while never ceasing to celebrate, to dialogue, and to tell stories.”
Organization and support
D*na Festival is organized by the Dénia City of Gastronomy Foundation (formed by the Dénia City Council, CEDMA, AEHTMA, and Baleària), with the collaboration of Turisme Comunitat Valenciana, the Costa Blanca Provincial Tourism Board, and the Dénia City Council.
With each edition, D*na strengthens its reputation as one of Spain’s leading gastronomic events, positioning Dénia as a true capital of Mediterranean gastronomy.
? More information and registration details: www.dnafestivaldenia.com
