The 10-day “2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” will be held from March 20 to 29 at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, with an additional venue in Zape, featuring 100 food booths, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Deputy Director Jennifer Si Tou Lai Lam announced in an investment and promotion briefing yesterday.
The briefing about the gastronomic event took place at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre yesterday afternoon. The first phase of recruitment for local food and beverage and food retail merchants is open through next Monday.
Si Tou said in a speech that this year’s event will collaborate with multiple UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) members designated as creative cities of gastronomy, featuring five major highlights, namely the “international gastronomic avenue” food booths, creative cities of gastronomy culinary demonstrations, Macau international gastronomy forum, and this year’s new additions – the global wine and spirits lounge as well as the international gastronomy premium products market, the latter in Zape.
The international gastronomic avenue, as the core segment of the event, will bring together 28 regional food booths from the Chinese mainland such as Chaozhou, Chengdu, Huai’an and Yangzhou, and 32 booths from oversea cities, along with 34 local food and beverage booths and six booths from the city’s integrated resorts, totalling 100 booths, offering eight types of cuisines including Macanese* and Portuguese dishes, Cantonese cuisine, vegetarian options, Japanese and South Korean delicacies and others, according to a MGTO statement.
Regarding the layout of the exhibition area, Si Tou noted that the event will be divided into multiple zones, including a food exhibition area, a games area, performances, and a dining area. Each zone will set up creative photo spots (known as “da kart” in Cantonese) to attract visitors to take pictures and post them on social media, further enhancing the event’s reach and influence.
This year’s event will take place in late March instead of last year’s event in July due to weather and food safety considerations, Si Tou said, adding that her bureau will continue to hold large-scale events between the outgoing Spring Festival and upcoming May Day holidays.
According to the briefing, in order to alleviate operational pressure on local small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), participation in this event is free of charge; the main venue of the event will be open from Monday to Friday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; the secondary venue will take place on Rua de Cantão (廣州街) and Rua de Xangai (上海街) in Zape from Monday to Friday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. During the event, a variety of special offers and performances will be provided for visitors and residents. Multiple free shuttle bus services will also be arranged.
* Customarily, the term “Macanese” refers to Macau’s community of mixed Portuguese and Asian descent, as well as their diaspora, accounting for fewer than 2.0 percent of the population. Macanese cookery is a fusion cuisine dating back centuries featuring Portuguese, Chinese, Malay, Indian and other Asian ingredients and recipes. – MPD
Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Deputy Director Jennifer Si Tou Lai Lam (centre) and other representatives pose during yesterday’s investment and promotion briefing for the 10-day “2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf Convention and Exhibition Centre. – Photo: Ida Cheong
