Parma Ham Festival: four dates for “Open Windows” in September

Following the success of its last edition, which attracted thousands of foodies and tourists to the home of Prosciutto di Parma PDO, “Finestre Aperte – Open Windows” is back for 2019, growing from two to four weekends covering the entire month of September: 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 and 28-29. “Finestre Aperte – Open Windows” represents the true highlight of the Parma Ham Festival, the event promoted by the Municipality of Langhirano and the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma that celebrates one of the world’s best-loved Italian-made food products. Exports of Prosciutto di Parma PDO account for 30% of production, generating turnover of €280 million. This year, the Festival will open in Langhirano, in the Parma hills, on Friday 6 September and will continue until Sunday 8 September.

In the context of the Festival, “Finestre Aperte – Open Windows” is an extremely important event for the world of Prosciutto di Parma PDO. It provides the best possible snapshot of a segment that comprises140 manufacturing companies and saw 8.5 million hams branded in 2018. The Prosciutto di Parma PDO sector consists of 3,900 pig-breeding farms, 109 abattoirs and 3,000 employees involved in production. If we also include satellite activities, the industry employs some 50,000 people in total. In economic terms, the value of Prosciutto di Parma PDO production is €740 million, while the total turnover generated by the sector is €1.7 billion.

“Finestre Aperte – Open Windows” is an original way to spread the knowledge of the ancient traditions and know-how involved in making Prosciutto di Parma, as passed down from one generation to the next, to a large audience: the roots of the forerunners of the PDO date back to the 3rd century BC. In his “De Rustica”, Cato the Elder described an appetising way of preserving pork haunches via salting and drying; rubbed with a bit of oil, the haunches underwent a maturation period. During “Finestre Aperte – Open Windows”, every weekend in September, the ham factories of the Parma area will welcome tourists and food lovers, offering them the chance to watch a processing cycle. The producers themselves will be exceptional guides, explaining and showing how pork haunches can be turned into Prosciutto di Parma PDO thanks to a unique combination of climate, tradition and passion.

The list of ham factories taking part in “Finestre Aperte – Open Windows”, as well as any information that might be useful for booking and planning visits, will be available on the website: www.festivaldelprosciuttodiparma.com.