8th Annual International Chocolate Festival

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is holding the 8th annual International Chocolate Festival this weekend. It's a perfect weekend, too, to try some chocolate and other things. While it's chocolate themed, there is plenty of other stuff, which may or may not fit in, like gyros, arepas, pretzels, conch fritters, hot dogs and more. And there are plenty of food trucks with other types of food. But of course chocolate is the thing and there's plenty of that.

Keep in mind there are many chocolate vendors, but the samples are few and far between, so after you pay the $25 entrance fee, you still need to pay for chocolate. Some of the vendors are very stingy, you literally get shavings of chocolate, I was tempted to take a photo of that but I didn't. Others are quite generous and the hot chocolate vendors are really nice about it.

Chocolate cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, pastries, it's all there.

There are lots more flavors of pastries than chocolate, but of course it's all good. I didn't see the flourless brownies that a friend likes, but they may have been there, too.

She's stuffing her face with a chocolate covered banana, along with the chocolate covered strawberries, and other fruits and things. At right is our friend Ronnie Brooks who was drumming for the Ramblers band.

This is chocolate beer. There were three or four vendors, off by themselves, serving chocolate beer! That's a perfect combination, all you need is a little bacon added and I think that's a perfect drink. That's me trying some above.

It was a perfect day. Families and friends enjoyed the scenery, chocolate and food on the great lawn.

Hat and clothing vendors, flowers, it's all there among the chocolate vendors, too. There are cooking demonstrations and chocolate history lessons and a kids' section, too.

Here are some nice chocolate chunk samples, no shavings here. And at right is chocolate honey! 

As the day warmed up, the frozen hot chocolate just hit the spot.

The Chocolate Festival is on again Sunday from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Fairchild is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables. Admission to the International Chocolate Festival is free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. For non-members, admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, and $12 for children 6-17. Those who walk, bike, or take public transportation receive $5 off adult admission and $2 off child admission. Those with a Military ID have free admission, with $20 for their spouses and $10 for their children. There is plenty of onsite parking which goes into the back area and winds its way around the main building.