October 24 to 26 Calarroz gastro-festival featuring the rice of Calasparra

An international event featuring show cookings with chefs from Spain, France and Germany

One of the most photographed views in Calasparra is that of the rice fields which fringe the River Segura, startling green belts of vivid colour during the late spring which produce a distinctive rounded rice which is prized in dishes across Spain.

Rice is the part of the staple diet of local residents and is used with a wide variety of ingredients for both sweet and savoury dishes, so sampling the local gastronomy in one of the town´s restaurants, as well as purchasing a bag of plump Calasparra rice to take home are mandatory when visiting.

It is in honour of this prized crop that the Calarroz 2025 event is being held over the weekend of 24^th to 26^th October, at the same time celebrating the collaboration between the twin towns of Calasparra, Riorges in France and Donzdorf in Germany. Stars of the show are the chefs Lore Nagel (Donzdorf), Brigitte Bonnefond (Riorges) and Óscar Marín (Calasparra), who are holding showcooking events together and individually over the weekend, all of them using “DOP Calasparra” rice.

Children’s workshops and live music are also on the program, as well as a sushi workshop with chef Leticia Navarro (Chiyoco Sushi, Cartagena). The full programme can be found online here.

The 8 local bars and restaurants participating are Asador el Valle, Tetería Larache, Gran Vía Casino Gastroteca, El Convento Café Bar, Gastro-Bar Matavinos, Constitución Hospedería Rural, Bar Piscina and Tandem Kitchen Bar.

For more upcoming events in the Region of Murcia go to the What’s on section of Murcia Today.