MIDA 2024 - International Handicrafts Trade Fair in Florence

The first certified handicrafts fair in Italy and one of the city’s must-see events.

Every year, between April and May, hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world meet to show their works, the fruit of their know-how. The International Handicraft Exhibition in Florence is the place where you can meet professional artisans together with talented young designers, who give life to something truly unique.

An absolute novelty of the 2024 edition, scheduled from 25 April to 1 May at the Fortezza da Basso, is the contemporaneity with the 9th edition of the Salone dell'Arte e del Restauro, the main trade fair event in Italy in the field of conservation, restoration and valorisation of the world's cultural and artistic heritage, which in the evocative rooms of the Monumental Quarters will see the participation of the Ministry of Italian Culture, companies, institutions and all the most important entities linked to the world of cultural heritage. Among the various initiatives of the fair, in highlights the international conference FLORENCE HERI-TECH – The Future of Heritage Science and Technologies, a center of attraction for scholars, researchers and experts in the field of Science and Technology applied to the Restoration of Cultural Heritage.

The International Handicrafts Trade Fair, why you should go

The exhibition took off in 1931 as the first craft fair in Italy, continuing on to gain international recognition. The event has continuously evolved and abided to the highest standards, the reason why it’s still around today. The fair remains a unique opportunity for artisans to display their creations to both Italian and international audiences.

Visiting the fair is like crossing through an international village of art, crafts and culture. Here, you can admire objects and fine workmanship from all different places; you’ll lose yourself wandering between stands representing Italy and the rest of the world.

Once again the Cavaniglia pavilion will host selected projects for the valorization of international artistic craftsmanship, starting from Tuscany. The Historical Archive of the Tuscany Region in collaboration with the Archive of Opera Theatre of Florence will stage an event dedicated to artisan crafts for the theater with the presentation of historical pieces from the Archive of the Maggio Musicale, with particular reference to what was exhibited during the 1942 International Crafts Exhibition within the pavilions dedicated to this theme.

Information

The event is held in the evocative Fortezza da Basso, a short walk from the city center and from the Santa Maria Novella railway station.

Opening hours: every day from 10.00 to 20.00 Outdoor catering: every day from 10.00 to 22.00 (last day: 10.00 - 21.00) - Free entry to outdoor catering : every day from 8.00 pm to 10.00 pm)