Big Island Chocolate Festival

Buy your tickets today and prepare to feast on rich, creamy chocolate to your heart’s content! Satisfy all your chocolate cravings—and more—on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai‘i.
Chocolate demonstrations are Friday, March 22nd from 12:30-5:30 pm and Saturday March 23rd from 9 am-1:30 pm at the Fairmont Orchid - more info and tickets for the March 22nd event are here: http://bicfchocolatedemos.eventbrite.com/
The highlight of the decidedly decadent festival is the colorful and… Show more tasty 5:30-10 p.m. gala with tempting sweet and savory chocolate creations prepared by top island chefs, chocolatiers and confectioners. Savor a friendly culinary competition where you can vote for People’s Choice in a host of categories including mouth-watering bonbons. Live entertainment by Bump City ; dancing; fine wine and hand-crafted ale tasting; plus a silent auction.
A veritable Who’s Who in the world of chocolate—both locally and nationally— has been invited to serve as celebrity culinary judges and educational presenters including Stanton Ho, Rhonda Ashton and David Brown.
New this year :
Savory mole bar : To balance the chocolate, we are offering a mole bar which is a chocolate based, Mexican sauce served with beef, chicken and tofu for your enjoyment. We will also have fresh and local vegetables.
Wine and beer tasting : Instead of providing two tickets for beverages this year, our sponsors are offering their wines and ales for unlimited tasting.
Chocolate sculpture: Chef Donald Wressel from Guittard Chocolates will be creating a 40 lb chocolate sculpture live during the Gala.
Other chocolatey fun includes daytime cacao farm tours and compelling educational demonstrations on both Friday, March 22nd and Saturday March 23rd at the Fairmont Orchid.
Saturday Demonstrations:
9:30-11:30 am- Chef Stanton Ho-Chef Consultant- "How To Make a Chocolate Pave Cake". Includes tasting of the cake and also a demonstration on making a white chocolate fruit and nut cluster bar.
11:30 am-1:30 pm-Chef David Brown-”How To Make Hand-Dipped Tropical Truffles"
Friday Demonstrations -Tickets available at http://bicfchocolatedemos.eventbrite.com/
9:00 and 11:00am - Farm tours at the Original Hawaii Chocolate Factory-ticketed separately, 808-322-2626 or email info@ohcf.us
12:30-1:30pm Tom Sharkey, Cocao Farmer/Restauranteur - How to create a cacao farm and what it takes to succeed.
2:00-4:00pm David Elliott/Co-Founder-Madre Chocolate - How to make chocolate from bean to bar: Every participant will take a chocolate bar home with them.
4:30-5:30pm Nat Bletter/Co-Founder-Madre Chocolate - Madre chocolate and fine whiskey pairing
Tickets available separately or discounted fee for all three sessions: $100
Presented by the Kona Cacao Association, Inc., BICF benefits the $1 million “Equip the Kitchens” campaign for the future Hawai‘i Community College-Palamanui and efforts to build a community amphitheatre at the Waldorf-inspired Kona Pacific Public Charter School in Kealakekua.
For event details and online tickets, visit www.bigislandchocolatefestival.com.
The Fairmont Orchid is offering discounted room rates of only $249 which includes breakfast.

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