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Got a serious sweet tooth? These chocolate festivals celebrate all things cocoa with tastings, workshops, and family-friendly fun you’ll melt for!

If you are in a hurry, I recommend:

  • Sample artisan treats at the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle.
  • Celebrate chocolate history at the Chocolate Lovers Festival in Virginia.
  • Indulge in truffles, fudge, and more at Colorado’s Choctoberfest.
  • Explore interactive demos at the Big Island Chocolate Festival in Hawaii.
  • Join family fun and sweet tastings at local festivals nationwide.

Unique Chocolate Festivals:

1. Indulge in the Heart of Texas at the Dallas Chocolate Festival

Indulge in the Heart of Texas at the Dallas Chocolate Festival

© Dallas Chocolate Festival

Dallas Chocolate Festival was created to celebrate the “Future of Chocolate” and teach Dallas chocolate lovers all about chocolate. The highly anticipated three-day event brings together more than 70 renowned and innovative chocolate makers and chocolatiers from Dallas and all over the world. The festival includes a range of events such as a VIP Party, a family-friendly exposition offering chocolate samples, selling chocolates, cooking demonstrations, hands-on workshops, a chocolate-making workshop, and a chocolate tasting class. Various events are held at several venues. The festival attracts thousands of visitors yearly, folks eager to taste and experience the craftsmanship and artistry of making quality chocolate. Every year a portion of proceeds is donated to fund scholarships to local culinary programs.

Dallas, Texas

2. Go Bean-to-Bar in the PNW at the Northwest Chocolate Festival

Go Bean-to-Bar in the PNW at the Northwest Chocolate Festival

© neillangan/stock.adobe.com

Northwest Chocolate Festival is the largest chocolate industry meeting in the world. More than 160 exhibitors from 20 or more countries come to Seattle with their best milk and dark chocolates, inclusion bars, chocolate desserts, truffles, bonbons, chocolate cakes, drinking chocolate, caramels and more, made by hand using the finest ingredients, for two days of pure bliss. There are also over 80 workshops, food trucks with all sorts of delicious foods, talks with chocolate makers and cocoa beans growers, and chocolate-making demos. The festival is held at the Pier 91 at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal.

2001 West Garfield Street, Pier 91, Seattle, Washington 98119

3. Taste, Learn, and Luxuriate at the San Francisco Fall Chocolate Salon

Taste, Learn, and Luxuriate at the San Francisco Fall Chocolate Salon

© nedim_b/stock.adobe.com

In the heart of one of the greatest culinary metropolitan regions in the world, San Francisco is already known for its fabulous chocolates. But, once a year for two days, city chocolate aficionados and addicts can indulge in tasting the best products of 30 or more award-winning chocolatiers, best confectioners, and various culinary artisans. The salon is held in different venues every year, usually in more than one spot around the city, and it includes chocolate tasting, chocolate-making demonstrations, talks with chefs and book authors, wine tasting, chocolate pairing with other foods, and much more. Some of the chocolate artisans that participate in this popular event are Amano Artisan Chocolate, Z. Cioccolato, K+M Extravirgin Chocolate, Kindred Cooks Caramels, Michael’s Chocolates, Raphio Chocolate, and The Cocoa Exchange.

San Francisco, California, various locations

📔 I get asked this a lot so I decided to include it:

  • Can chocolate lovers attend festivals all year round?
    • Chocolate lovers can easily spend the entire year visiting one chocolate festival after another—there are so many.
  • Where are some popular chocolate festivals held?
    • From big cities like New York and Denver to resorts like Winter Park and small towns like Hershey, there is a chocolate festival near you wherever you live.
  • What can you expect at a chocolate festival?
    • These indulgent celebrations of chocolates are often accompanied by great local music, delicious foods, local wines and craft beers, and all sorts of activities.

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