Fairchild's Chocolate Garden presents a refreshed weekend lineup

The Chocolate Garden is back at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the 14th year! Formerly The International Chocolate Weekend, this is South Florida’s favorite weekend for sweets.

This year new vendors are part of the mix with a fresh take on the event, giving visitors a chance to stroll through the lush 83-acre garden.

Kicking off the weekend on Friday, January 24 at 7:30 pm, Fairchild members can purchase tickets to Fete du Chocolat, an exclusive three-course seated dinner with pairings and access to the after-hours Garden Speakeasy for $185 a person. Fete du Chocolat will feature a multi course dinner with wine and chocolate pairings throughout the night. Guests will also enjoy exclusive access to the Garden Speakeasy.

The artisan village and food hall on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will host local retail vendors, chefs and artisan chocolatiers and on Saturday and Sunday, Fresh from Fairchild Marketplace will feature the Milkshake Shoppe and Chocolate Lab which sounds like something we all would love to immerse ourselves into. 

Whip'n Dip Ice Cream Shop, the Coral Gables favorite, will host the Milkshake Shoppe and create ultimate custom milkshakes at their made to order milkshake bar. The Chocolate Lab will turn chocolate into an interactive experience - think chocolate painting, chocolate spin art, plant science and more! 

Here is the lineup for the Chocolate Garden weekend:

Friday, January 24 – 7:30 pm
Fete du Chocolat - three-course seated dinner with pairings and access to after-hour Garden Speakeasy

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, January 24-26
Artisan Village and Food Hall
- Food vendors
- Retail Vendors in pop up tents
- Chocolatiers 
- Specialty Gift Plants

Saturday & Sunday, January 25-26
Fresh From Fairchild Marketplace featuring the Milkshake Shoppe and Chocolate Lab
- Fresh from Fairchild pop-up shop
- Milkshake Shoppe blended by Whip’n Dip
     Milkshake Bar blending specialty milkshakes to order
- Chocolate Lab
  Chocolate Face Painting 
  Chocolate Painting
  Kids Chocolate Adventure
  Plant Science - From Plant to Chocolate Bar 
  And more!
Cinema au Chocolat: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory with nostalgic movie time snack
Mixology Lab: Sweets and Spirits at the Phillips Courtyard
Unique pairings of confections and chocolate with unexpected spirits
If Chocolat Could Talk Lecture Series
 - Dr. Matt Snow (Rare Fruit Council) 
- Brett Jestrow (FTBG Director of Collections)
- Jason Downing (FTBG Orchid Biologist)
- Dr. Carl Lewis (FTBG Director) 
- Dr. Alan Chambers (Tropical Fruit Geneticist) 

The Garden Kitchen
Saturday / Sunday
- Chocolate Bake Off
   Parent and child
  Saturday at 3pm
  Contest entry details will be announced via Fairchild’s social channels next week!

- Chocolate Pudding Pie Eating Contest”
   Chocolate Pudding Eating Contest 
  Sun at 3pm 
-Chef + Chocolate Collaborations 
Sat/Sunday 
Chef Adrienne Calvo 
Chef Allen Susser
Chef Ellen Kanner
The Salty Donut
Misha’s Cupcakes
Miami Fruit Club

Chocolate lovers will explore the  rainforest where they will be sure to learn something new through exploring the life cycle of a cacao plant. For many, it may be the first time to see a cacao plant growing firsthand in South Florida.

Throughout the day, the community will celebrate the art of chocolate though informative lectures on cooking with the unique ingredient and demonstrations from Miami's master chefs and chocolatiers.

To complete the sweet weekend, you will be able to explore the beer garden, enjoy the bounty of the gardens and explore unique culinary creations that utilize the star of the show, chocolate! Chocolate Garden is truly the most delicious festival in South Florida.

The festival is January 24-26, 2020
From 9:30 am – 4:30 pm

Admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors 65 and up, $12 for children 6-17, and free for Fairchild members and children 5 and under. 

Fairchild membership special: Buy a Family Membership ($120), which admits two adults and children 17 and younger, and get one free adult and one free child ticket to The Nightgarden. A Friends and Family membership (four adults and children 17 and younger; $175) gets you two free adult and two free child tickets to The NightGarden. Fairchild membership includes unlimited daytime membership to the gardens, including during festivals such as the mango, chocolate and orchid festivals, plus the upcoming 2020 Dinosaur Exhibit.

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

For more information, please visit www.fairchildgarden.org or call 305 667 1651.
Stay up to date on the latest events & happenings at Fairchild Tropical Botanic by following @FairchildGarden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the historic botanical garden that is one of the premier conservation and education-based gardens in the world. They are currently celebrating their 81st anniversary.