Things to Do

Calling All Chocolate Lovers: Dallas Chocolate Festival Returns

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Tony Maples Photography

 

The Dallas Chocolate Festival returns to town for a chocolate lover’s fantasy weekend September 6-8. The festival started ten years ago with a small dinner party hosted by Founder Sander Wolf. He invited several bean-to-bar chocolatiers as guests of honor.

The event has boomeranged, now drawing 3,000 chocolate lovers to three days of Total Chocolate Immersion. This year’s festival, “The Story of Chocolate,” is Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Fashion Industry Gallery (F.IG.) 1807 Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas.

Chocolatiers From Around the Globe

Calling All Chocolate Lovers: Dallas Chocolate Festival Returns

Photo: Bret Redman

Over sixty chocolate makers and chocolatiers from all over the world will share their stories—and their work. Attendees can explore, taste, shop, and indulge themselves in the finest quality, hand-crafted chocolates.

A VIP Party kicks off the three-day festival Friday night, offering the first opportunity to sample these artistic chocolate creations. Explore, sample, and shop with light bites, adult beverages (including beer, wine, and specialty cocktails), a take-home gift bag, and complimentary valet. Tickets are $75 each, for age 21 or over, available now online at dallaschocolate.org.

Family Activities Saturday & Sunday

Calling All Chocolate Lovers: Dallas Chocolate Festival Returns

Photo: Bret Redman

The two-day family-friendly festival Saturday and Sunday includes demonstrations, samples, children’s area, a chocolate fountain, food trucks, and shopping opportunities. Admission is $35 for Saturday or Sunday tickets, or $5 for children under 10. Dallas Chocolate Festival donates a portion of its proceeds to scholarship funds that support local culinary programs.

Several hands-on workshops include guided tastings and pairings, plus chocolate-making classes, both Saturday and Sunday. A Beer and Chocolate Pairing from 2:00-3:15 p.m. Saturday, presided over by TAPs owner David Stephens and Yelibelly Chocolates’ Sarah Marshall, is $25 to attend (plus festival admission).

A Whiskey & Chocolate pairing tasting from 4:00-5:15 p.m. Saturday is taught by experts in these crafts. Tickets to the tasting event are $25 each, plus festival admission. A more intensive workshop, the Bean to Bar Chocolate Making Class Sunday from 8:30-10:30 a.m. is taught by well-known chocolate makers. Tickets are $60 each, plus festival admission.

Gourmet Dinner in August Marks 10th Anniversary

Calling All Chocolate Lovers: Dallas Chocolate Festival Returns

Photo: Bret Redman

Dallas Chocolate Festival kick starts their tenth anniversary celebration August 17 with an intimate gourmet dinner in the Fairmont Hotel’s legendary Venetian Room. Five celebrated Chocolatiers: Art Pollard of Amano Artisan Chocolate, Greg D’Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate, Jael Rattigan of French Broad Chocolate, and Shannon Neffendorf and Jessica Young of Five Mile Chocolate share their chocolate stories with dinner guests.

The five-course dinner closes with a smashing dessert display featuring 70% Amano Chocolate Bourbon Brulee Tart, 50% Guittard Flourless Chocolate Cake, and 5 Mile Chocolate Shortbread Sandwich. Only 100 tickets will be sold, priced at $150 each.

Get your tickets here!