Get Ready For D*na: Dénia’s Food Festival

The annual D*na Festival has food lovers descending on the Costa Blanca every year. Celebrating its sixth year, the festival will be held on 30th September and 1st October on the Paseo de la Marineta Cassiana in Dénia.

This year the theme of the event is the sea. Quique Dacosta, 3 Michelin star chef and gastronomic curator of the event explained, “It will explore the relationship of human beings with the Mediterranean and its importance as an economic, cultural, gastronomic and tourist destination.”

Nuna Montes, Valencia region’s Minister of Tourism, said it, “Is an example of the strength of gastronomy as a tourist product and also contributes to deseasonalization.” The regional government contributes around 250,000 Euros to the event and it’s expected to draw around 25,000 visitors this year.

The festival this year will feature a 700 metre long table where visitors can mingle and chat whilst enjoying the food that numerous tasting stands will have to offer. Festival goers can also enjoy presentations, workshops and cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs.

The maritime communities of Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Catalonia, Murcia, Andalucia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic and Canary Islands will all have their regional cuisine represented during the festival. 

Some novel promotion for the festival has already taken place with edible underwater signs being placed around Dénia’s main beaches to surprise those snorkelling or scuba diving, as well as giving local fish a feast.

As a taster of what’s to come at the festival, a special dinner was created for eight representatives of the maritime industry to celebrate the work they do. The dinner featured a stew cooked by eight well-known chefs, Julia de El Faralló, Mari Luz El Pegolí, Rosa de La Giralda and Quique Dacosta.

The D*na Festival is sure to be a great success again this year and is a diary must-do for those foodies wanting to taste the best of coastal cooking.