Mistura (food festival)
| Mistura Feria Gastronómica Internacional de Lima | |
|---|---|
Chefs preparing meat over open fires at Mistura 2012 | |
| Status | Inactive |
| Genre | Food festival |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Locations | Lima, Peru |
| Country | Peru |
| Years active | 2008–2017 |
| Inaugurated | September 26, 2008 |
| Founder | Gastón Acurio |
| Participants | 385,000 (2015) |
| Members | Peruvian Society of Gastronomy (APEGA) |
Mistura (Spanish: Feria Gastronómica Internacional de Lima) is a food festival held in Lima, Peru.[1][2][3] It was established in 2008 and was organized by the Peruvian Society of Gastronomy (APEGA).[4] The festival includes food exhibitions and participants from different regions of the country.
The name Mistura, which translates to mixture in Portuguese, originates from a colonial-era tradition in Lima where women distributed small bouquets of mixed flowers at public events, and the festival adopted the name from this tradition.[5]
History
The first edition was held in September 2008 at the Cuartel San Martín in Miraflores under the name “Perú Mucho Gusto”,[6] and was initially started by chef Gastón Acurio.[7] In 2009, the event was renamed Mistura and moved to the Parque de la Exposición in central Lima, where it registered more than 150,000 visitors over four days. The 2010 edition expanded the exhibition area and added sections on agricultural producers, native potato varieties, and sustainable gastronomy. In 2011, the festival lasted eleven days and included Amazonian fruits, ceviche stands, and international guest chefs such as Ferran Adrià, René Redzepi, Michel Bras, and Heston Blumenthal.
In 2012, the venue shifted to Campo de Marte in Jesús María and featured a “Rincón del Pan” with over 100 bread varieties, a “Boulevard de la Dulzura” with 50 dessert offerings, and about 400 regional producers in the “Gran Mercado.” The 2013 and 2014 editions were held on the Costa Verde in Magdalena del Mar, with the 2014 event including around 300 small producers and 192 food stalls. The festival continued in 2015 and 2016 with a similar format, and the final edition took place in 2017 at Club Révolver in Rímac under the slogan Con sabor a barrio.[8]
Participation
| Year | Participants | Change from Previous Year |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 23,000 | — |
| 2009 | 150,000 | 127,000 |
| 2010 | 200,000 | 50,000 |
| 2012 | 506,531 | 306,531 |
| 2013 | 400,000 | 106,531 |
| 2017 | 300,000 | 100,000 |
Mistura saw participation increase steadily after its inaugural edition in 2008, which drew approximately 23,000 attendees,[9] primarily from Peru. In 2009, attendance rose to over 150,000,[10] and by 2012, the event reached a peak of more than 500,000 visitors. Around 385,000 people attended in 2015, and after the relocation to Rímac in 2017, attendance declined to approximately 300,000.
References
- ^ "Feria Gastronómica Mistura" (in Spanish). 2017-06-24. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Sánchez, Marilú (2023-05-13). "Mistura: ¿por qué ya no se realiza la feria de gastronomía peruana y cuándo fue la última edición?". larepublica.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Bloudoff-Indelicato, Mollie (2014-09-17). "Mistura Food Fest Gives Peruvian Cuisine A Chance To Shine". NPR. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ PERÚ, Empresa Peruana de Servicios Editoriales S. A. EDITORA (2011-09-18). "Peru celebrates its unique, varied cuisine". andina.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ PERÚ, Empresa Peruana de Servicios Editoriales S. A. EDITORA (2010-09-12). "Mistura, palabra que evoca belleza, color y sabor que da origen a feria gastronómica". andina.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Sourtech. "El misterio detrás del fin de Mistura: ¿Por qué ya no se celebra este evento gastronómico en Perú? - Exitosa Noticias". www.exitosanoticias.pe (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ "Historia de Apega y las ferias gastronómicas Mistura". www.deperu.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Kearney, Jason (2018-01-15). "Mistura Food Festival Lima Peru | All You Need To Know". Totally Latin America. Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ Obando, Por Manoel (2024-06-05). "La historia detrás de Mistura, la feria gastronómica más emblemática de Perú, por qué ya no se hace más y su posible regreso". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-31.
- ^ "The mystery behind the end of Mistura: Why is this gastronomic event no longer celebrated in Peru?". AP Noticias. June 10, 2024.