Oregon Chocolate Festival This Weekend!

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About the author: SOAR: The Southern Oregon Artist's Resource is a directory of Southern Oregon artists, artisans and those who serve them and calendar of their art events, and Art Matters!, our blog posting Southern Oregon art events and matters of interest to artists, enthusiasts and patrons of the arts near and far. SOAR was created and is maintained by art advocate and web designer Hannah West in Jacksonville, Oregon to promote our diverse and talented arts community to our visitors and the rest of the world.

Have you been to the OREGON CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL before? No?! Now is your chance! This is our 9th year and it’s going to be the best yet. It is taking place this weekend March 1-3 at the Ashland Springs Hotel, so start planning as we hope to see you in a few days – ready to sample, buy and learn about chocolate!Starting on Friday evening join us in the hotel lobby for the Chef Demos. This event is free to the public and a great opportunity to meet chefs who will demonstrate their recipes, cooking tips and baking secrets.

View 2013 SCHEDULE and start planning your festival weekend.

Festival tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Hotel. Many events have limited sitting and require reservations. Make sure you book your spot today!

Festival official website.

During the festival, guest judges will pick their favorites and award them the title of the Best Chocolate Product in 7 different categories. You get a chance to vote for your favorite product, too! Make sure to participate in the 2013 People’s Choice Award!

FESTIVAL ATTRACTIONS:

Meet your chocolatier! – Over 50 VENDORS include Oregon chocolatiers, bakers, wineries, breweries and other specialty food vendors present their products and tease your palate with fantastic and surprising flavors!

(Saturday & Sunday 11- 3pm at the hotel)

Chocolate Makers Dinner (Friday, 6:30 – 9pm) LARKS Executive Chef Damon Jones returns after two years on the East Coast to create this delightful four-course dinner featuring chocolate in each dish. $62 inclusive. Dinner is accompanied by a short presentations from Chef Instructor Darrell Folck, Chef Damon Jones and Larry Chase, the brewer at the Standing Stone Brewing Co.

Chocolate-themed First Friday Art Walk (Friday, 5 – 8pm). Enjoy diverse forms of art, local wines and chocolates. A great prelude to the weekend long chocolate extravaganza. Stop by hotel lobby to view Chocolate Sculpture and watch chef demonstrations at 5:30pm and 6:00pm

Beer & Chocolate Pairing – Explore the unexpected! Join Ginger Johnson from Women Enjoying Beer for an educational and fun-filled pairing of beers and chocolates. (book in advance, space limited)

Guided tasting of world’s 7 tastiest chocolates– Saturday and Sunday (book in advance, space limited)

Candy-making workshop for kids. Two workshops for kids and families, at the ScienceWorks Museum (Saturday 11:30 & 12:30pm)

Edible Facial – Chocolate Martini Facial Spa Party – Saturday at 4-6pm – at Lithia Springs Resort. Great chocolate festival night out with friends! SOLD OUT

Chocolate treatments at Waterstone Spa & Salon – enjoy blissful massage, mani & pedi, body scrub and other treatments designed to utilize beneficial antioxidants found in chocolate!

Artisan Pastry Baking Class at Deux Chats Bakery – Learn how to make a chocolate dough croissant with pear, cinnamon and chocolate filling! Sunday class is SOLD OUT, but contact the bakery for future baking class schedule.

Chocolate discount at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival – Chocolate & theatre! Call OSF box office, mention ‘chocolate’ and receive 20% discount for the shows on March -3.

Discount at the Oregon Cabaret Theatre – mention ‘chocolate’ and enjoy 20% off! 541-488-2902