9th annual International Chocolate Festival

This weekend is the 9th annual International Chocolate Festival at Fairchild Gardens. From Friday, January 23 through Sunday, January 25, stop by for everything chocolate.

Last year I tried chocolate beer of all things and a few years ago I learned about chocolate coconut water from Zico. It's amazing the things you learn at the chocolate festival.

Chocolate beer. No really.

Friday starts with a lecture by Ricardo Trillos, Master Chocolatier-Cao Chocolates at Rainforest Plaza and there are plenty of events throughout the weekend with other lectures and tastings. There are cooking demonstrations and plenty of activies for the kids including the Fantasy Factory's Giant Flamingo Puppet and Chocolate Poetry by young writers.

There is even family yoga by Rina Yoga. There's chocolate history talks and a book signing by Dr. Maricel Presilla who wrote "The New Taste of Chocolate," plant sales, beer samplines and more. There's really something for everyone at this favorite event, unless of course, you don't like chocolate.

The hours are 9:30 am to 4:30 pm each day. 

Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden is located at 10901 Old Cutler Road.

For all the details, the Chocolate Festival website info is here.