The 6th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival is a two-day event that every chocolate lover will enjoy. And, who doesn’t love chocolate?! The event is being held at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on April 28 & 29, 2017. All activities are to be held at the hotel apart from the cacao farm tour.

Courtesy of Big Island Chocolate Festival

The theme this year is “Worth Its Weight in Gold: The History of Chocolate”. Visitors will relish the seductive, rich taste of chocolate in both its sweet and savory forms while participating in delicious, fun, and informative chocolate-themed activities.

This two-day chocolate celebration includes a cacao plantation tour at Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, a college culinary competition and several public foodie and agriculture-themed seminars. Activities round off at 5:00-9:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 with the indoor-outdoor festival gala. Delight in an array of sweet and savory culinary stations presented by top isle chefs, chocolatiers, and confectioners. Participate in fun chocolate activities such as live chocolate sculpture and chocolate body painting.

Culinary participants will characterize the “Worth Its Weight in Gold: The History of Chocolate” theme and be judged on originality. Culinary stations will also be striving for awards in a variety of categories judged by a panel of celebrity chefs.

Courtesy of Big Island Chocolate Festival

Courtesy of Big Island Chocolate Festival

A quick chocolate historical fact: Chocolate derived from Meso-America where cacao beans were brewed to make a drink or fermented into an alcoholic beverage. Cacao beans were highly valued and was used as currency. The beans were also believed to be mystical by the Mayans and Aztecs and often included them in their rituals. Once they were formed into chocolate bars, they became valued in America. During wartime, bars were incorporated in soldiers’ rations and went to the moon with the Apollo astronauts.

The Big Island Chocolate Festival is presented by the Kona Cacao Association, Inc. The mission and goal of KCA is to promote the cacao industry on the Big Island of Hawai‘i by presenting BICF as an educational and outreach opportunity for local cacao farmers, the hospitality industry and cacao enthusiasts.

For more information about the festival or event tickets, visit www.bigislandchocolatefestival.com.

Courtesy of Big Island Chocolate Festival