Chocolate festival to return to York
A festival inviting locals to indulge in a weekend of all things chocolate is set to return to York.
York’s annual Chocolate Festival, which is taking place from Friday 14 until Monday 17 April, will offer a wide range of events across the city, with a specialist chocolate market in St Sampson’s Square.
The festival will include workshops for visitors to get involved in as well as demonstrations. There will also be events celebrating chocolate and other sweet treats in the Castle Museum, York Chocolate Factory, York Cocoa House and Goddard’s, the home of the Terry family, who are of course the team behind Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
An impressive 25 market traders will sell their goodies over the course of the weekend, including York’s very own Brown & Blond and Crumbs Cupcakery, as well as Leeds based Lauden Chocolate and Thirsk’s Sugar Therapy.
Brittains Beverages will be offering chocolate flavoured vodka and Churros and Chocolate will bring a taste of Spain to York with churros being served with various toppings. FP Macaroons will also sell their handcrafted macaroons alongside Gemini Chocolate, who specialise in organic and dairy free chocolate.
Authentic Dutch pancakes and Belgian waffles from Lekker Eat Dutch will also make an appearance at the festival alongside Once Across the Garden, who specialise in vegan cakes and pastries. Pie lovers are also in for a treat, with Halifax based The Crusty Pie Company bringing a wide variety of chocolate based pies to the festival.
Children will be entertained by chocolate lolly making workshops and can also enjoy the city Easter Festival arranged alongside, with a petting zoo, Little Viking’s activity tent and an Easter trail with prizes at the end.
What you can’t miss at the York Chocolate Festival:
250 Years of Terry’s at York’s Chocolate Story in King’s Square – 10am to 5pm – All weekend
Celebrating the 250th anniversary one of York’s most important companies: Terry’s. The event will showcase a selection of the most interesting of the Terry’s products from opium based throat sweets to some of the most beautiful and decedent chocolate boxes in history.
Chocolate Truffle Making at York Cocoa House – 1.30pm – Sunday April 16
Create your own chocolate truffles, and then learn how to professionally temper the chocolate so you can hand dip and then decorate your chocolates before taking them home.
Chocolate Demonstrations at St Sampson’s Square – 1pm to 5pm – All weekend
Chefs and chocolatiers will be demonstrating how to make chocolate and how to use chocolate in sweet and savoury dishes. Demonstrations will be each hour, on the hour.
Easter Egg Decorating – York Cocoa House – 3pm – Sunday April 16
Hand paint your design into your egg mould before choosing your favourite chocolate to work with. You will then be able to take your creations home.
York’s Sweet Past – York Castle Museum – 9.30am to 5pm – All weekend
Delve into the delicious history of some of the world’s most iconic chocolates and sweets as York Castle Museum takes you on a chocolatey tour of sweets galore.
A Very Terry Easter – Goddards House and Garden – All weekend
From chocolate trails, to blindfold taste tests and chocolate box making and chocolate talks. Enjoy a very Terry Easter and indulge in some chocolate orange cake in the dining room; and then walk it off with a breath of fresh air in the garden.
