Chocolatefest comes to town for good cause

Knoxville residents were treated to a variety of chocolate desserts at this year’s Chocolatefest on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Knoxville’s Convention Center.

Vendors from across East Tennessee brought their products to be sampled and sold.

“I love meeting people and getting to make people happy. So for me, it’s all about seeing their faces. That’s why I’m handing out the samples,” said Christie Champ from Mom’s Vintage Kitchen.

Along with the chocolate vendors, Chocolatefest provided live music, a cake design show, “chocolART” exhibit and many other activities to elevate the event.

“We’ve been doing chocolates for 30 years. We do weddings, special occasions and parties,” said Linda Coates from Doc Chocolate. “We wanted to see what it would be like, how the reception would be on a larger scale.”

Attendees could purchase general admission tickets for $5 or a tasting pass for $20. A VIP pass was also available for $50 for those who wished to maximize their chocolate experience.

A portion of the proceeds from the event were donated to Knoxville’s Ronald McDonald House.

The Ronald McDonald House is a “home away from home” for families whose children need a specialty doctor who is based in Knoxville, but the families need to travel from out of town for treatment. They provide housing and transportation for these families during their stay, according to Sue Beverly, director of Ronald McDonald House.

“These fundraisers are just kind of the life blood of our existence. Last year, 2016, we had about 42 different events so this is one of many,” said Beverly. “We are just honored to be a part of such a wonderful event. How can you not smile when you’ve got chocolate?”

For more information, check out the Chocolatefest and Ronald McDonald House websites.

Featured Image by Vanessa Rodriguez

Edited by Katy Hill