Fiumicina Festival- Three Days by the River

From Friday 13 to Sunday 15 September, Lungomare presents Three Days by the River, a Festival by Fiumicina. An Open Kitchen on the River. The project, staged by Johanna Dehio, Mascha Fehse and Johanna Padge at Lungomare’s invitation, is part of FLUX – River Interventions and Explorations: a multi-year programme that aims to explore and activate Bolzano’s river landscapes through artistic, cultural and ecological perspectives.

The Fiumicina Festival Three Days by the River invites people to share the unique experience of cooking together in a public space using only solar energy as the source of heat. During the peak sunlight hours—between 1 and 4 pm—participants can learn to prepare bespoke recipes according to the solar clock, guided by the project's creators and a different cooking group each day. Following this, there will be two events featuring guests and experts discussing topics such as cookery, rivers, solar energy, public space and common goods, accompanied by tastings and concerts.

Programme 

All of Us, Care, and the Public Sphere

Friday 13 September

Kitchens are places where ingredients and people come together, fostering dialogue and care. In the kitchen, our way of life is manifested concretely and sensually: what we eat, for whom we prepare food, and with whom we share our meals. However, cooking is predominantly practised as a non-representative and non-public activity and, like other caregiving tasks, receives less attention and recognition compared to professional work. Yet, what happens when the act of cooking moves from the private to the public sphere?

1–4:00 PM

Fiumicina invites Irene Lucas to lead a solar cooking atelier

5:00 PM

recipe presentation and tasting

5:30 PM

River Concert by Marco Stagni

6:00 PM

All of Us, Care, and the Public Sphere – public debate

Johanna Padge, Johanna Dehio, Francesca Gotti, Hilary Solly (CucinaCultura), Pasquale Bonasora (Labsus), Andrea Perini (MadreProject, Terzo Paesaggio)

7:00 PM

River Concert by Marco Stagni

Sun, People, and Nature

Saturday 14 September

In a time when the climate crisis questions our relationship with nature and the use of its resources, including those depleted for nutritional purposes, the second day of the Festival suggests that the awareness of driving social and ecological change may begin right in the kitchen.

How might we reconsider a common and shared activity like cooking by engaging closely with primary natural resources such as water and sunlight?

1–4:00 PM

Fiumicina invites Paula Erstmann to lead a solar cooking atelier

5:00 PM

Sun, People, and Nature – public debate

Mascha Fehse, Irene Lucas (SolarManifaktur), Johannes Reisigl (KlimaKultur), Ruth Heidingsfelder (Scientists4Future & Climate Action South Tyrol)

6:00 PM

Presentation of recipes and tastings

7:00 PM

River Concert by Verena Mur

Neighbours, Neighbourhoods and the River Space

Sunday 15 September

Fiumicina invites CucinaCultura, a project launched in 2015 in Bolzano to explore food and culture through film, music, theater, and performances, with a specific focus on migration, economics, climate change, and conflict. On this occasion, Sunday, September 15, will be devoted entirely to Indian culture.

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Indian Sun-Kissed Snack

Fiumicina invites Charumathi Seshagiri Rao to lead a solar cooking atelier

in collaboration with Cucina Cultura

12-3:00 PM

Presentation of recipes and tastings accompanied by live music 

North/South Indian fusion: Hindustani melodies accompanied by Carnatic-style percussion

with Prakash Ramachandran and Sarada Barthi 

in collaboration with Cucina Cultura