A guy was handing out energy drinks at the entrance. If it weren't 9:30 in the morning, I'd definitely grab one, because at Alimentaria you know when you go in but not when you'll come out. The food fair's pavilions fill up quickly with people eager to discover this year's new products, which, I can tell you now, are all about protein. In fact, protein galore.

The Alimentaria and Hostelco joint congress, dedicated to the agri-food industry, hospitality, and catering, opened its doors this Monday at the Fira de Barcelona, ​​on the very day that Brussels announced the provisional entry into force of the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur, a treaty that could change the food sector in the years to come. The congress, which takes place every two years, expects around 110,000 attendees, according to organizers last week. It would surpass both the Mobile World Congress and Integrated Systems Europe in visitors. (ISE), currently the two trade fairs with the highest visitor numbers held in Barcelona. However, unlike these two congresses, where the majority of attendees come from abroad, Alimentaria has a majority of visitors (approximately three out of four) from within Spain.

Barcelona Wine Week, the Spanish wine congress held annually in Barcelona, ​​will once again grow this year in terms of exhibitors, visitors, and square footage, organizers announced Wednesday. The sector is meeting at a time of challenges due to climate change, trade tensions between the European Union and the United States, and concerns about declining wine consumption worldwide. A total of 1,351 wineries from across Spain are registered, a 5% increase compared to last year. the 2025 edition and 880 international buyers, 14% more than the previous edition. The fair, which will be held next week from February 2nd to 4th, will occupy 10,900 square meters, 800 more than last year, at the Plaça d'Espanya venue of Fira de Barcelona. With 320 wineries present, Catalonia will be the autonomous community with the largest presence at the event, followed by Castile and León, La Rioja, and Castile-La Mancha.

She is one of the key figures responsible for turning Tàrrega into one of the world's street performing arts capitals for four days in September. Since 2019, Anna Giribet (Vilanova de Bellpuig, 1981) has been the first woman to head the artistic direction of FiraTàrrega. And she carries out her role with passion, as she conveys with the deep-rooted enthusiasm of people grateful for life. "Being able to return to the village with a family that breaks away from heteropatriarchal norms and work in a job I love in an environment that makes it easy for me is a privilege."

The Falset Wine Fair (DOQ Priorat and DO Montsant Wine Show and Market) is once again betting on music as an integral part of its program, having renewed a partnership that already proved successful in the 2024 edition: with the FIM Vila-seca, on the one hand, and the Garbinada Pop festival, on the other. As a result of this agreement, during the Wine Fair (May 2-4), the following bands will perform in Falset: Andreu Peral, Landry, Mujer Negra Canta, Rambalaya, The Prioratians, and Músicos de Calle.

The Seafood Global congress of seafood products and companies, which will be held next month at the Fira de Barcelona, ​​​​hopes to repeat, at least, results similar to those of the last edition, when it brought together some 35,000 visitors and had an economic impact of €156 million, as explained this Thursday by Wynter Courmont, vice president of Diversified, the American company organizing the event.