Gastro fest to move to March, expand into NAPE satellite venue

The 2026 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest Macao will be held in March and will expand beyond its main location at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, with a new satellite venue planned for the NAPE district.

The event, scheduled from March 21 to 29, was announced during a press conference yesterday by Jennifer Si Tou, deputy director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

Si Tou said the scheduling shift was made after reviewing the performance and operational conditions of previous editions of the festival.

“We conducted an effective evaluation to understand the overall situation of the previous year’s event, including its commercial and operational performance, venue conditions, and crowd flow,” she said.

She added that weather considerations also played a role in the decision, noting that last year’s event was held in July when a typhoon signal had to be issued on the final day of the festival.

The festival will operate from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays. On weekends, the main venue will open from noon to 10 p.m., while the satellite venue will operate from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Organizers said 34 local food booths will undergo screening before the event, followed by training sessions in cooperation with the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM).

“Although the timeline might be tight, once we finish screening the 34 local food booths, we will also provide a series of training sessions, especially in collaboration with the IAM,” said Si Tou.

Interested participants may register through the official MGTO Gastronomy Fest website and submit a MOP5,000 deposit by 5:30 p.m. on March 2.

According to Wu Kam Hon, managing director of Macau Hon Color Advertising Planning & Design Co., Ltd., the satellite extension will cover areas around Rua de Xangai and Rua de Cantão in NAPE, where the International Gastronomy Premium Products Market will be located.

“Besides retaining the three highlights of the International Gastronomy Promenade, the City of Gastronomy Showcase, and the International Gastronomy Forum, we will add the Global Fine Wines Lounge and, for the first time, extend the event into the surrounding NAPE district,” Wu said.

The MGTO hopes the upgraded urban event can help stimulate economic activity in the neighborhood.

Wu said the International Gastronomy Promenade will feature about 100 booths showcasing culinary offerings from different regions.

“For one of this year’s five major highlight projects, the International Gastronomy Promenade will continue to feature about 100 booths, creating a market that blends food stalls from Macau, mainland China, and around the world,” he said.

The event will also include garden tours, heritage and food culture elements, as well as designated dining, game, and performance zones.

The organizers aim to use the festival as a platform to promote cross-border tourism cooperation and highlight Macau’s positioning as a Creative City of Gastronomy.

“We have a series of activities planned. Next month, we will hold a press conference to provide more details about this year’s programme,” Si Tou said. Ricaela Diputado