Last year, I attended the Festival of Chocolate at the Orlando Science Center and had a ball! The producers of the Festival of Chocolate have decided to move the festival this year to UCF’s Arena. If you haven’t visited UCF recently, you will be in for a pleasant surprise. The northern side of campus has been completely transformed with a new arena, shops, restaurants, and a large plaza area that hosts the annual Light up UCF ice skating rink and carnival rides during winter.
Below is the press release:
THE FESTIVAL OF CHOCOLATE – THE ULTIMATE ALL-CHOCOLATE SHOPPING, EDUCATIONAL, AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE – COMING TO UCF ARENA APRIL 27-29
TICKETS ON SALE NOW EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH TICKETMASTER
Attention Chocoholics! For anyone that has wanted to be a kid in a chocolate store…you now have your chance. The Festival of Chocolate will take place at the UCF Arena from Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29.
Daily tickets priced at $15.00 (adults) and $9.00 (children) are on sale now exclusively through Ticketmaster at www.Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000, or at the UCF Arena Box Office. Each adult advance purchase ticket will receive two dollars in chocolate coins to spend in The Festival of Chocolate and chance to win a spot as a Chocolate Judge. Additional taxes and fees may apply.
The Festival of Chocolate, recognized as one of the Top Ten Chocolate Festivals in the USA, returns to Central Florida and makes a new home at the University of Central Florida Arena with a larger vendor showcase, more interactive activities, and additional live competitions – all for a lower ticket price! And 2012 introduces The Cocoa Couture Fashion Show on the Chocolate Yumway.
The event runs:
Friday, April 27, 4pm – 10pm
Saturday April 28, 10am – 6pm
Sunday, April 29, 10am – 5 pm
The event includes the area’s best chocolate and confection companies selling everything chocolate from truffles, cakes, crepes and cupcakes to cookies, brownies and gelato. Chocolate savory items including mocha chili, chocolate BBQ sauce, seasonings, coffee and meat rubs will also make a debut.
Throughout the weekend, award-winning pastry chefs and chocolatiers host interactive demonstrations sharing techniques and tricks of the trade while live chocolate competitions give breathtaking artistic sculptures a tasty twist.
Trendy Chocoholics can marvel at the launch of The Cocoa Couture Fashion Show featuring hand designed garments made almost completely out of chocolate wrappers. Designers will sew, stitch and eat their way to The Festival of Chocolate Yumway where they will compete for prizes judged by professionals and The Festival of Chocolate guests.
The adventurous confection crowd can whip up some chocolate lip balm and try their hand (or armpit) at creating armpit fudge. History buffs become chocolate detectives as they tour an educational chocolate-themed museum and gamers can try their luck and chocolate knowledge in Brownie Bingo, where they can eat the playing pieces!
Chocolate University taught by Chocolate Masters, A “Double-Dare You” of unusual items dipped in chocolate including crickets and jalapeños, cookie stacking contests, chocolate mustaches, a book signing, and a complimentary chocolate raffle will make The Festival of Chocolate weekend at The UCF Arena the Sweetest weekend in Central Florida.
Limited Seating Registration for Chocolate Class and Chocolate and Wine Pairings is available at www.FestivalofChocolate.com.
About The Festival of Chocolate
Former Walt Disney World Producer and owner of Indigo Creative Productions, Aileen Mand, partnered with third-generation Chocolatier Edgar Schaked to create The Festival of Chocolate. Marrying her specialty in unique, large-scale public events including Coca Cola’s Olympic City, Political Conventions and Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week with his expertise and outreach in the Chocolate Industry, they have traveled The Festival of Chocolate to Tampa, Orlando, and West Palm Beach with plans in the works for Ft. Lauderdale and Jacksonville. Aileen won the title of Producer of the Year in the Southeast for The Festival of Chocolate and The Festival of Chocolate is recognized as one of the Top Ten Chocolate Festivals in the USA.
The Global Spectrum-managed UCF Arena is home to the UCF Men’s and Women’s basketball programs, as well as concerts, family shows and other attractions for the Central Florida area. Visit www.UCFarena.com for more information on upcoming events.
Global Spectrum (global-spectrum.com) manages nearly 100 public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20-million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, PA, Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies. Comcast-Spectacor also owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider, New Era Tickets, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities, Paciolan, the leading provider of venue establishment ticketing, fundraising and marketing technology solutions, Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company, and Flyers Skate Zone, a series of community ice skating rinks. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces eight nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC-TV.
Vendors include:
Beard Papa’s
Orlando, FL
www.muginohointl.com
Breck’s Gourmet Cookies
Tampa, FL
www.brecksgourmet.com
Brownie Brittle
West Palm Beach, FL
www.browniebrittle.com
Candy Cottage
Plantation, FL
Chateau Confections
Winter Park, FL
www.chateaueieio.com
Chocolate Traditions
Longwood, FL
www.chocolatetraditions.com
Choffy
Orlando, FL
www.drinkchoffy.com
Cupcake Crazy
Lake Mary, FL
cupecakecrazyorlando.com
David Ramirez Chocolates
Orlando, FL
davidramirezchocolates.com
Dove Chocolate Discoveries
Orlando, FL
www.thesweetlife4me.com
Farris and Foster’s Chocolate Factory
Orlando, FL
www.farrisandfosters.com
Galleria of Chocolatez
Orlando, FL
galleriaofchocolates.com
Kernel Encore
Orlando, FL
www.kernelencorepopcorn.com
Michael Anthony Cakes
Longwood, FL
michaelanthonycakes.com
N Joy Gourmet Bakery
Winter Park, FL
www.njoybakery.com
wow the first pic looks yummy
Not sure if I can go this year, but I have wanted to go since it started. The speakers and demos look interesting.