MEDIA RELEASE

The week-long Eighth Annual Kona Chocolate Festival kicks off Tuesday, March 31 and includes cacao farm tours, demonstrations on chocolate working techniques, a Miss Chocolate Pageant, a Huggo’s dinner, wine and chocolate pairings at The Mixx Bistro, and a Sunday brunch at Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa.

A gala benefit 6-10 p.m. Saturday will feature more than two dozen chefs in a chocolate taste-off with awards in professional and amateur categories.  Live salsa music, silent auction, chocolate body art, a chocolate fountain, wine, champagne, beer, and endless supplies of chocolate also will be featured.  

General admission for the gala is $40 in advance, $50 at door, and VIP Aloha Circle $125. Attendees must be at least age 21.

The purpose and goals of the annual Kona Chocolate Festival are to highlight Hawaii’s unique regional products, particularly chocolate; entertain both visitors and residents; showcase the creative talents of Hawaii’s culinary arts, chefs, chocolatiers, ice cream and candy makers and culinary students; and to support culinary education opportunities and diversified agriculture on Hawaii Island.

The vision of the Chocolate Symposium is an integrated and educated World of Chocolate and promotion of Hawaiian cacao agriculture. 

The mission of the symposium is to provide opportunities to engage in hands-on interactive education experiences in the world of cacao and chocolate. 

Hawaii farmers are welcome to attend a great selection of cacao-grower and chocolate-lover events hosted by the Kona Chocolate Festival and the Naalehu Theatre, which has adopted the festival to promote culture, the arts and local economic development projects.

The burgeoning cacao industry in Hawaii encourages new plantings of cacao on local farms – come see best practice suggestions for fermentation of the beans, organic care, inter-plantings, market opportunities and more. 

Current cacao farmers will benefit from the agricultural and processing expertise of our speakers, and those farmers considering adding cacao to their orchards will gain on-farm experience by seeing how cacao is being successfully grown in Hawaii.  

The Miss Hawaii Chocolate Contest is 1 p.m. March 28 at Hualalai Academy Bridge Building. 

Categories include:

Miss Chocolate: ages 18-33

Teen Chocolate: ages 13-18

Junior Chocolate: ages 5-12

Application forms for this contest are available at www.focusinternationalhawaii.com or 326-1108. Submit  two 8×10 photos (head shot & body shot). There will be a judges’ interview and the runway includes a chocolate costume, evening formal wear and swimsuit.

The Keauhou Bay Sheraton Resort & Spa has a special room package for those who mention they are attending the Kona Chocolate Festival & Symposium.

— Find out more:

Kona Chocolate Festival: 328-2255, www.konachocolatefestival.com