The fair, promoted by the Associació Celíacs de Catalunya, will be held on May 23 and 24 with a playful, family-friendly, and 100% safe proposal for people with celiac disease. With about fifty exhibitors, activities for all audiences, and an estimated 8,000 visitors, the Mediterranean Gluten Free Forum consolidates itself as a key meeting point for the gluten-free sector
Next May 23 and 24, the Recinto Ferial de Sabadell will host the 4th edition of the Mediterranean Gluten Free Forum (MGFF), a fair promoted by the Associació Celíacs de Catalunya, in collaboration with Grupo ÀPAT which, for the first time, is held in Sabadell.
The event consolidates itself as a reference space for the celiac community and for all those people with pathologies related to gluten intake, with a proposal that combines dissemination, gastronomy, and advocacy in a 100% gluten-free environment.
The fair will take place throughout the weekend, with hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, and expects to gather nearly 8,000 people over the two days. The Mediterranean Gluten Free Forum is presented as a playful and family-friendly space, designed for people with celiac disease and other pathologies related to gluten intake, as well as for their families.
The Mediterranean Gluten Free Forum is a fair completely suitable for people affected by these pathologies, as all stands have been reviewed by the Catering Department of the Asociación Celíacos de Catalunya to guarantee gluten-free food safety. This condition turns the fair into an exceptional space: a place where people with celiac disease and other pathologies related to gluten intake can eat with complete peace of mind, discover new products, and enjoy the gastronomic experience on equal terms.
In a context where these people must follow a strict gluten-free diet for life and often encounter limitations in social meals, celebrations, business meals, travel, or gastronomic experiences outside the home, the fair becomes a space of normality and inclusion. For two days, attendees will be able to relax, taste different products, try new gastronomic proposals, and enjoy an environment where everything is designed so they can eat safely.
Sabadell, meeting point for the gluten-free world
This 4th edition will feature about fifty exhibitors specializing in gluten-free products, including offerings such as bread, pizzas, pastries, cured meats, cheeses, croquettes, chocolate, gourmet popcorn, Mexican cuisine, cakes, and other products suitable for people with pathologies related to gluten intake.
In addition, the fair will have a gastronomic area where gluten-free tapas and dishes such as croquettes, bravas, pasta, or breaded *fingers*, among others, can be tasted. There will also be activities for adults, educational talks, show cookings, and a children's area with playful and educational activities related to the gluten-free world.
As a novelty, this year the fair will incorporate the Km 0 Space, an area dedicated to small local producers from Catalonia, with proximity products such as honey, jams, and other artisan creations. This new space reinforces the fair's commitment to giving visibility to both major brands in the sector and small producers working from the territory.
Activities, show cookings, and awareness about celiac disease
Regarding the program, during the two days of the fair, various activities will take place aimed at diverse audiences, with the aim of offering tools, knowledge, and experiences around celiac disease, non-celiac gluten/wheat sensitivity, and their treatment, the gluten-free diet.
Among the highlighted activities will be the gluten-free crispy tuna coca showcooking, with chef Jordi Esteve, from the restaurant Nectari, accredited gluten-free and recognized with a Michelin star in 2012, in collaboration with Mercadona.
The program will also include the talk 'Everything you need to know if your child has been diagnosed with celiac disease', with Dr. Roger Garcia, Head of the Pediatrics Department and member of the Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Unit at MutuaTerrassa University Hospital; 'Invisible errors in the gluten-free diet: what usually goes wrong even if you think you're doing it right', with dietitian-nutritionist Andrea Sorinas; 'I don't want to feel different in social situations, what do I do?', with Doctor of Psychology Gentzane Carbajo; and a session on how to avoid cross-contamination with gluten, by Cristóbal Pérez and Júlia Pérez, from the Technical-Scientific Department of the Associació Celíacs de Catalunya.
For the little ones, the fair will include activities such as 'Gluten Detectives: The Invisible Trail', an educational game led by the Technical-Scientific Department of the Associació Celíacs de Catalunya so that children can learn, through play, what gluten cross-contamination is and how it can be avoided.
On Sunday, the fair is scheduled to host the 'Best Gluten-Free Catalan Bread 2026' Contest, an initiative that aims to recognize the quality, innovation, and evolution of gluten-free bakery products, as well as to give visibility to the producers who work to expand the quality offering.
The fair will also host the awards ceremony for the 'Gluten-Free Pioneers' to the 10 accredited gluten-free restaurants with the longest track record, in recognition of their contribution to promoting safe and accessible dining for the celiac community.
The sponsoring companies of the fair are Airos, Gullón, YoSoy, Casa Amella, and La Granja Foods.
A recreational, but also assertive space
Beyond the gastronomic and educational offerings, the Mediterranean Gluten Free Forum also maintains its assertive component. On Sunday, commemorative events for International Celiac Disease Day will take place, with institutional interventions from the Associació Celíacs de Catalunya, where the main demands of the community will be addressed, such as improving diagnosis, more institutional support, and facilities to access a safe, affordable, and accessible gluten-free diet.
The event highlights the community's pending challenges in terms of public health and access to a safe diet.
Associació Celíacs de Catalunya
The Associació Celíacs de Catalunya, founded in 1977, is one of the oldest associations in Europe and the first organization created in Spain to defend the interests of people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Declared Public Utility Entity in 1982, we represent all people affected by pathologies related to gluten intake in Catalonia and Menorca. It is estimated that there are 1% of people with celiac disease and 6% of people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, that is, approximately 567,000 affected people in Catalonia and 7,173 in Menorca. Furthermore, we are the reference body for manufacturers, distributors, restaurateurs, and companies in the gluten-free sector, to whom we provide information on the protocols they must follow to develop or offer safe products and services for celiac people.