Cacao Craze: Colorado Chocolate Festival

Sadly, Easter has come and gone and the chocolate bunnies have all hopped away for the year. Now that it’s May, there aren’t a lot of upcoming holidays to give us the excuse to down mass quantities of delicious chocolate. Thankfully there is hope yet: the Colorado Chocolate Festival. From 4–9 p.m. on Friday, May 11, and 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, chocolate lovers can visit the 30,000-square-foot Denver Merchandise Mart to surround themselves in true chocolate bliss. With 80 vendors from across the United States, a Mother’s Day Gift Market, live music provided by Vibes on Velvet Friday night, and just about every type of chocolate you could ever imagine, this event will be a treat (literally).

As if the option to sample chocolate cakes, candy, cookies, truffles, fudge etc. wasn’t enough, the Colorado Chocolate Festival also provides some chocolaty sweet contests like the Chocolate Crown Competition, where contestants down Hershey’s Kisses to win a chocolate-candy-bar crown and money—conveniently provided in the form of a Golden Ticket of course—to spend at the booths. A Chocolate Pudding Eating Contest, Chocolate & Beer Pairing lessons, and Chocolatier and Chocolate Cake contests—cash prizes range from $100–500—will be taking place during the two-day event as well.

Stop by and join the expected 5,000–8,000 cacao seekers at the 5th annual Colorado Chocolate Festival and see for yourself why Westword named the event the Best Food Fair of 2009. While there won’t be a chocolate river, attendees will still be able to catch a glimpse of the candy man himself: Willy Wonka. Just be sure to behave yourself—no one wants to have to witness any human blueberries at this event.

Want to reserve your spot in sweet tooth paradise?
Pay for your admission and pre-order your booth tasting tickets online.

Denver Merchandise Mart
451 East 58th Avenue, Suite 4270
303.292.6278
DenverMart.com