Chocolate. Lots of chocolate. A weekend of chocolate. Got your attention? I thought so. Whether you consider yourself a chocolate fanatic or just one out of the millions slightly obsessed with the sweet, do not miss out on The Chocolate Lovers Festival.
On March 6 and 7, the City of Fairfax, Va., the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Fairfax Coalition, the Downtown Fairfax Merchants Association and George Mason University will put together the 18th annual festival dedicated to nothing but chocolate.
According to the Chocolate Lovers Festival’s Web site, “the purpose of the festival is to draw visitors to Old Town Fairfax, to encourage community participation and to foster cooperation among the city government, the business community and local residents.”
In the past the festival has been held the first full weekend in February, but was rescheduled this year due to snow and inclement weather. The theme of the festival is to unite people around their love for the sweet and draw visitors from near and far.
Two events that promise to be particularly worthy and definitely delicious at this year’s festival are the Chocolate Challenge and Taste of Chocolate.
The Chocolate Challenge, which is sponsored by the Independence Day Celebration Committee, runs both Saturday and Sunday and is located at the SPACE in Old Town Plaza. The event will feature numerous chocolate cakes as well as “artwork” made entirely out of chocolate.
In addition to a silent auction — where visitors can bid on chocolate creations such as donated cakes — there will also be a rousing competition with many categories for both professionals and amateurs to compete in. The competition is no laughing matter, as competitors come from all around looking to be victorious.
“This year’s celebrity judges for this event are Norman R. Davis and Zane Beg of The Sweet Life in Annandale, Va., who have appeared on multiple Food Network challenges; Michael Hensley of Victoria’s Cakery in the City of Fairfax; and City of Fairfax Mayor Robert F. Lederer,” according to the festival’s Web site.
This event is sure to be a must-see not only for the amazing creations that will be crafted, but also for the delicious samplings that are sure to come as well.
The Taste of Chocolate event also runs both Saturday and Sunday and will have an even greater range of chocolate samplings. Treats will hail from local bakeries and shops and will include everything from cakes to fudge, brownies to ice cream.
Also noteworthy is the fact that every year the festival chooses a charitable organization to donate a portion of their proceeds to. Organizations interested can fill out an application in the preceding September and October. This year’s recipient is the Independence Day Celebration Committee, which works to put on annual Independence Day activities and historical events every summer in Fairfax.
Lauren Powell, a freshman in the School of International Service, said that the Chocolate Lovers Festival looked like a really fun time.
“First, I love chocolate so I would come just for the samples, but also it seems like there will be some really impressive creations,” she said. “I usually only think of chocolate as something to eat, so it will be interesting to see how it can be made into art as well.”
Most of the events at the festival are free, yet a few are ticketed with a ticket cost ranging from $1 to $7. The festival will take place at various locations throughout Old Town Fairfax and it offers a shuttle service taking those visitors without cars to the different spots throughout the weekend. For more information, visit the event’s Web site at http://www.chocolatefestival.net/.
You can reach this staff writer at ostitilis@theeagleonline.com.
