Let’s get the party started with a taste of Barranquilla |

For lovers of traditional cuisine and those who are passionate about Colombian knowledge and flavors, August is a very special month, as the most important gastronomic fair in the Colombian Caribbean is approaching: Sabor Barranquilla, which will host more than 40 chefs and cooks of all ages. From August 22 to 25, the Puerta de Oro, the Caribbean Event Center, will offer attendees a diverse range of specialties.

This fair, which is about to welcome the delight of foodies, has chosen for its 17th edition a theme that could not be more appropriate: travel, eat, live, three activities that humans should fully enjoy. It is also a space where solidarity is simmered in a year’s work, where dreams are marinated with the efforts of many peasant families from the Atlantic who see in it a great opportunity to conquer the taste buds and a showcase to drive their business forward. As many Caribbean slangs say: that’s life.

In the Babylonian cuisine created in the prelude to the meeting of the river and the sea, ancestral knowledge of the Colombian Caribbean and flavors that cross borders thanks to immigration will also come together. Here it is common to see delicious cheeses from the pampas of Cordoba and Sucre sharing the table with Arabic mixtures, lasagna, paella or corozo juice and sangria, perfect to calm the hot weather we have during this season.

This is how the concept of the fair (Travel, Eat, Live) guides attendees to see each dish as an invitation to travel to new destinations, discover flavors and immerse themselves in Caribbean culture. The first step should be to enjoy the gastronomy of Barranquilla and the cities of the Atlantic, tasting authentic dishes or those inherited from other cultures, with the conviction that we are supporting thousands of families who earn their living from this activity, contributing to the economic development of the region.

Patricia Maestre de Celia, director of Sabor Barranquilla, has said many times: “Local gastronomy is a way to connect with the identity of the Caribbean world, provide tourists with unforgettable experiences and contribute to the economic development of the city.”

In fact, the academic forum of the Fair, scheduled for Thursday, August 22, will revolve around the question: Is there a future for gastronomic tourism in the Colombian Caribbean? To open a debate and analyze the contribution of gastronomic tourism to the economic development of the regions, as is the case in the Atlantic coast, where every day efforts are made to offer attractive offers, at good prices, allowing the different sectors of this economic line to compete healthily with other traditional destinations such as Cartagena and Santa Marta.

This discussion should also analyse the challenges posed by the preservation of local food traditions or when tourism initiatives become popular, such as in the case of Pier 1888, one of the novelties of this edition.

In short, it is a date of flavor, knowledge and solidarity that we cannot miss. Welcome to the stoves lit, the tablecloths laid and the dishes served, because it will be a great event that will consolidate Barranquilla as the stage that brings together every year the most delicious cuisine of the Colombian Caribbean and presents it to visitors who will amaze them. In a space of 26,000 square meters you will also find speakers, commercial offers and crafts.