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10th Table Olive Festival: Celebrating a Decade of Quality, Expertise and Collaboration

Published 10. August, 2026

The Institute for Oliveculture ZRS Koper is organising the 10th Table Olive Festival, celebrating a decade of bringing together olive growers, experts and enthusiasts of high-quality, locally produced table olives.

This year’s festival will combine informal socialising, expert knowledge, tastings and the traditional presentation of awards to the best table olives of 2026. It will take place on 11 September at Circolo bar (Gravisi-Buttorai Palace, Ulica osvobodilne fronte 10, Koper).

The programme will begin at 3:00 pm with an After Work Aperitivo and table olive tasting. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste the submitted table olive samples and choose their favourite. The tasting aims to introduce the wider public to the diversity of flavours, aromas and textures and to showcase just how varied high-quality table olives can be.

Expert lecture by Dr Ivano Caprioli

At 4:30 pm, renowned Italian expert Dr Ivano Caprioli will give a lecture on the first floor of the Gravisi-Buttorai Palace entitled Table Olives – An Opportunity to Create Greater Added Value on Small Farms. Dr Caprioli is head of an international panel for the sensory evaluation of table olives at the International Olive Council (IOC), Technical Director of the Unione Mediterranea Assaggiatori di Olio (UMAO), and head of expert evaluation at Monna Oliva, one of Italy’s leading table olive competitions.

He will explain how to recognise high-quality table olives, which characteristics are assessed by experts and why quality is crucial for successful marketing. Particular attention will be given to the importance of table olive production for small farms, which can use relatively small quantities of produce to create greater added value, diversify their range of products and improve their economic performance. The lecture is intended for olive growers, table olive producers and anyone interested in making better use of the potential of their production.

The lecture will be followed by a guided table olive tasting, during which participants will learn about the sensory evaluation process, differences between processing methods, and the characteristics of different varieties of high-quality table olives under expert guidance.

Awards ceremony for the best table olives of 2026

The main ceremonial part of the festival will begin at 6:30 pm. Following the opening remarks, the winners will be announced and awards presented to the best table olive producers of 2026. After the ceremony, the competition samples will remain on display and available for tasting, with particular attention given to the champion, vice-champion and other award-winning entries.

The evening will continue with a DJ, food and informal socialising.

Programme:

  • 3:00–5:00 pm: After Work Aperitivo and table olive tasting
  • 4:30–6:30 pm: expert lecture and guided tasting with Dr Ivan Caprioli
  • 6:30–7:30 pm: awards ceremony for the best table olive producers of 2026
  • 7:30–9:30 pm: social gathering with DJ music

As places for the expert programme are limited, advance registration is required at the following link: 10th Table Olive Festival

Join us as we raise a toast to the winners of the anniversary edition of the Table Olive Festival and celebrate a decade of outstanding flavours, tradition and collaboration!