Event: Northwest Chocolate Festival September 29-30 in Seattle

The Northwest Chocolate Festival (NWCF) will be held in Seattle from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day during the weekend of September 29th and 30th at the Washington State Convention Center (800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101). The theme of the weekend is Taste, Learn, and Celebrate.

Tasting includes not only an amazing selection of chocolate (from at least 14 chocolate makers, including: Amano, Caribeans, Dandelion, Dick Taylor, Fresco, Grenada, Kallari, Lillie Belle Farms, Madécasse, Madre, Olive and Sinclair, Stirs the Soul, Taza, Theo), but also chocolate desserts and even drink pairings.

Learning includes a huge variety of more than 60 classes to choose from about single origin chocolate, crafting chocolate, farming cacao, trade equity, evaluating chocolate, tempering chocolate, pairing chocolate, health benefits, chocolate foods, etc.

For an additional $10 and attending classes, NWCF is offering their Chocolate Academy "Masters in Chocolate Level 1" certificate, which also includes Chocolate Academy membership. Membership benefits include a quarterly newsletter, discounts on tickets to future festivals, and invitations to special chocolate events at partner businesses.

You can read more about the entire weekend on their website: http://www.nwchocolate.com/ and the class schedule.

In addition to these activities open to everyone, VIP tickets are being sold that include full weekend passes, an exclusive "Meet the Maker" opening night reception, additional pre-festival VIP tasting events in Seattle, a complimentary tasting flight in the Beer and Wine Garden during the festival, Chocolate Academy certificate described above, and more.

You can purchase any of the following tickets in advance and pick up your non-transferable ticket at Will Call with photo identification:

• $53.95+tax full weekend pass [$60 at the door]
• $27.40+tax one day pass (age 13+) [$30 at the door]
• $11.47+tax one day youth pass (12 and under)
• $122.98+tax VIP full weekend pass and more

Tickets are also available in advance at a few retail locations such as Chocolopolis without the online service fees (thus, $50, $25, $10, and $115, respectively).

Prices have increased since last year, but with so many bean-to-bar chocolate makers and great classes, the fourth annual Northwest Chocolate Festival might be the best chocolate event in the U.S. this year. If you will be in the Seattle area, you do not want to miss it. Lindy and I are attending, and we hope you'll be able to get there, too!