/ After 2 years of forced closure caused by the pandemic, the Meeting of the Giostra is back. And it was a new success /

Bergantino, Melara, Calto and the even smaller Ceneselli, Castelmassa and Castelnovo Bariano: these are municipalities in the province of Rovigo that together do not add up to 15,000 inhabitants. They are lost in the fogs of the Polesine plane for most of the year, and their names say very little to the vast majority of Italians themselves. Yet these villages in a tiny and anonymous corner of northeastern Italy constitute the so-called ‘Distretto della Giostra’, or Ride District, the cradle of the Italian amusement industry, a pride for the country, as well as an important reference point for the international attractions industry.  

In this territory no larger than a few square kilometers, there are about 70 companies of medium and small size, and even workshops in some cases. They all manufacture attractions and their components, with a focus on innovation, research and technological excellence at the highest level. Amusement rides built in this area are successfully exported and can be found in theme parks and funfairs all over the world. 

To promote this little-known but remarkable district, the CNA of Rovigo organizes annually the Ride Meeting or “Meeting della Giostra”, and invites market operators and potential foreign buyers (representing indoor and outdoor parks, FECs, travelling showmen, resorts, etc.)  to experience in person what the district has to offer. This year the event took place on December 4 and lasted for three days during which the guests – a dozen, from all over Europe – participated to a rich 2-day tour of 10 factories and workshops in the District. These included, in alphabetical order: Elettronica Industriale Losi Francesco, FC Fabbri Group, Garage Rides, Lamborghini, Lights Co, Milani, Park Rides, Soriani, Technical Park, Tiziano Costruzioni Casse. Visitors were able to touch their products, get a glimpse of the production processes, get a  preview of new projects and innovations and meet in person the entrepreneurs at the helm of these realities.

“We already knew some of these companies by name, and we knew about the quality of their products,” explained one of the participants. “But entering ‘their home’, seeing up close how and where these wonders are born, hearing the stories from the actual makers, experiencing the sounds and smells of the factories was an exciting experience.” “Small companies, almost artisanal, but with very high skills: a real discovery!” commented another visitor, adding: “Knowing a company through the photos in a brochure, an exchange of emails or chats at a trade show is not comparable to the experience one has at a well-organized event such as the Meeting della Giostra. Participating in it was a privilege, a gift that makes us return to our daily job with even more enthusiasm, infected by so much professionalism and passion.”

In addition to the company tour, the Meeting della Giostra included the Golden Pony^© Awards 2022  gala, organized by Facto Edizioni, the publisher of this magazine (read a full report on the following pages). Guests also had access to networking opportunities while enjoying typical local dishes and a guided tour of the Historical Museum of Amusement Rides and Traveling Shows in the town of Bergantino. 

Here the guests made a brief but packed imaginary journey through the history of the amusement  through the centuries, starting from the popular performances of travelling artists in the towns squares during medieval times, up to the present and with an eye to the future of the attractions with state-of-the-art technologies. 

On December 7th, in the town of Melara, there was also a seminar targeted at the local community and titled  “The attraction of work. Aligning skills with the demands of the labor market to attract and retain talents in the company. About 40 students from a local professional institute met with CEOs and stakeholders in the District, with the aim of creating a bridge between school and the work environments. 

The result of a partnership between different entities operating in the Rides District, the Meeting was organised and promoted by the Rovigo CNA, with the media and operational support of our publishing house Facto Edizioni and our Games & Parks Industry magazine. The event also received the economic and organisational support of numerous institutions and associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce of Venice-Rovigo, that of Padova and that of Treviso-Belluno-Dolomiti, the Veneto Region, VenicePromex, the municipalities of Melara, Bergantino and Calto, as well as the Rides District Consortium. 

Full image gallery: Games & Parks Industry December 2022, page 42

Videos and Photos Courtesy: TOGO Media

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