The Plaza del Ayuntamiento of Valencia will once again become the epicentre of rice culture with the celebration of TastArròs 2026, an event that will bring together chefs, producers, and visitors around this product; for two days, rice will be the main focus of a programme that combines tradition, gastronomy, and education, and which in the previous edition welcomed more than 40,000 people. Organized by the D.O. Arròs de València, with the collaboration of the Generalitat Valenciana and the Valencia City Council, and the European program Eu Rice, which promotes the sustainable culture of rice; the 9th edition of this event will pay tribute to the region’s most emblematic product with different restaurants offering classic and avant-garde rice dishes for five euros. In addition to its gastronomic character, TastArròs will feature various educational activities; it will include the traditional urban drying area, a rice mill, live music, an exhibition of boats and equipment, showcooking performances with chefs such as Carolina Álvarez, from Flores Raras de Quique Dacosta, Vicente Rioja, or Manu Yarza, and the popular ‘Rice Grower of the Future’ contest.

Valencia, April 2026.-The most anticipated rice-themed gastronomic event of the year in Valencia already has a date. TastArròs 2026 will be held on April 25 and 26 in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, which will once again become the epicentre of Valencian rice culture. For two days, tradition, product, and cuisine will come together in a meeting that pays tribute to rice as one of the great symbols of the region. Since its first edition in 2016, TastArròs has evolved to become one of the most relevant gastronomic events on the calendar, both locally and nationally. Organized by the Regulatory Council of the Denomination of Origin Arròs de València, with the collaboration of the Conselleria de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries) and the Valencia City Council, the event has become one of the main platforms to bring the cultural, gastronomic, and environmental wealth linked to Valencian rice closer to the public.

TastArròs once again puts the focus on the role of rice in Valencian culture, with a proposal that goes beyond tasting. During the weekend, visitors will be able to sample everything from traditional rice dishes to more contemporary versions, prepared by a selection of restaurants from Valencia and different regions. This 9th edition of TastArròs is complemented by a programme designed to bring the world of rice closer to all audiences. There will be showcookings, with chefs such as Carolina Álvarez, Vicente Rioja, or Manu Yarza, in which to discover the techniques and particularities of the rice dishes protected by the D.O., an interactive rice mill, the traditional urban drying area, live music, and a new edition of the ‘Rice Grower of the Future’ contest, where young chefs will showcase their talent. An event that focuses on everything behind Valencian rice —from cultivation to cooking— and that once again turns the centre of Valencia into a meeting point around this product.

RICE CULTURE TAKES OVER VALENCIA
The celebration will feature the participation of restaurants from all over the region, reflecting the close relationship between the hospitality sector and the Denomination of Origin Arròs de València. Through their proposals, the chefs will highlight the three varieties protected by the D.O. —bomba, senia, and albufera—, showing their versatility and their essential role in Valencian cuisine. During the event, attendees will be able to taste a wide selection of rice dishes for 5 euros, as well as accompany them with Estrella Galicia beer —the event’s sponsor— for a price of 2 euros.

Beyond its gastronomic dimension, TastArròs is also a celebration of the millenary culture of rice. A recognition of the land, of those who work it, and of a tradition that has shaped the Valencian landscape and identity over the centuries. One of the great attractions that returns in this edition is the urban drying area, one of the most representative images of the event. A part of the square will be transformed into an authentic drying space where 10,000 kilos of rice will be spread out, following traditional methods and with the support of tools and animals that evoke the practices of yesteryear. In addition, visitors will be able to participate in the ‘Llaurador més ràpid de l’Albufera’ contest, a competition that tests dexterity in field work. The winner, in addition to taking home the title, will receive a lunch for two people in one of the participating restaurants of this edition.

For its part, the TastArròs T’Ensenya stage will offer practical classes and showcookings throughout the weekend in which the keys to the varieties protected by the D.O. Arròs de València will be revealed. Those who want to delve deeper into the origin of the product can do so through the rice milling workshop, where the process is explained by which the whole grain —brown in colour and rich in starch and vitamins— is transformed into the characteristic white rice of the Denomination of Origin, a fundamental step to achieve its texture and flavor. In addition, the event incorporates a space dedicated to the international dissemination and awareness of rice culture through EU Rice, a program promoted by the Thessaloniki Agricultural Business Association and the D.O. Arròs de València, with the support of the European Union. Its objective is to promote a sustainable, safe, and traceable cultivation, aligned with demanding standards of quality and environmental respect. In this space, visitors will be able to learn more about the biodiversity and natural wealth of the Albufera environment.

The event will also feature the participation of fishermen from the Port de Catarroja, who will bring some of their traditional boats and gear to the centre of Valencia to show the public the fishing techniques linked to the Albufera lake. The grand finale will come on Sunday with the ‘Rice Grower of the Future’ competition, one of the most anticipated proposals on the programme, which awards three prizes: one of €1,000 and two of €500. Young chefs under 40 years of age, from different parts of Spain, will cook their rice recipes live, with the condition that they use one of the varieties protected by the D.O. Arròs de València. A jury made up of renowned gastronomic journalists will be in charge of assessing aspects such as texture, cooking point, flavour, creativity and presentation of each preparation. The winner will be crowned Rice Grower of the Future and will receive a prize of €2,000.

Thus, once again, Valencia celebrates the most important popular rice festival with the support and collaboration of Caixa Popular, which shares the commitment to the territory and local culture by supporting initiatives such as Tastarrós and contributes to the sustainable, cultural and social development of the immediate environment, and Muñoz Bosch, a leading company in hospitality supplies, which maintains a deep harmony with the values ​​and commitment shared by the Valencian identity.

ABOUT D.O. ARRÒS DE VALÈNCIA
The Regulatory Council of the Designation of Origin Arroz de Valencia was born in 1998 as an entity composed of professionals from the sector that protects the guarantee framework of Valencian rice, an ancestral crop linked to the territory that ensures strict compliance in each of the stages of production and preparation of the cereal. The Designation of Origin Arroz de Valencia protects three varieties: senia, bomba and albufera, which are the ones that best adapt to the cultivation area of ​​La Albufera and to the traditional rice recipe book, typical of the Levante area. Its ability to convey flavor is highly appreciated among restaurant professionals and end consumers. The D.O. Arròs de València highlights not only the economic and cultural importance of rice, but also its critical relevance in the viability of the wetlands in which the rice fields are located. These crops are ecosystems with great importance, since they guarantee the water flow that makes life possible in the wetlands and extends the presence of the water sheet during the months in which it is scarce. Rice cultivation in the Valencian Community is the oldest in Spain—dating back to the first years of Muslim occupation in the region—and uses varieties that result from improvement work that began in the first decade of the 20th century. These varieties have managed to adapt their characteristics to the cycle and climate, resulting in a raw material of exceptional gastronomic quality. The D.O. encompasses rice fields located in Alicante, Valencia and Castellón, although in a very high percentage (more than 90%) its cultivation is concentrated in the Albufera Natural Park, a wetland of international importance. The fact that this natural space with unique characteristics is in good condition for its fauna and flora depends directly on the maintenance of the rice fields and on the promotion of techniques and practices aligned with environmental sustainability.

Report by ’24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ’24/7 Valencia’