Annual Chocolate Festival returns

Residents with a sweet tooth are encouraged to attend the 11th annual Fort St. John Chocolate Festival on Saturday.

The festival will be taking place at the North Peace Cultural Centre with plenty of fun- filled, sugary activities planned.

The Chocolate filled festival will include a tasting contest, where participants are able to enter their tasty creations and attempt to earn the coveted blue “best” ribbon. The contest will be divided into a number of categories including cakes, candy, cookies, squares, miscellaneous items and a kid’s category. However, organizers request participants do not make cheesecake.

There will also be a variety of auctions taking place. There will be two different silent auctions, one for children and one for adults. All the prizes are being provided by various local sponsors.

There will also be a live auction where people are able to bid on any of the treats they sampled during the festival. Anyone entering the baked goods contest is asked to bake two of their creation, one for judgment and tasting and the other for the live auction.

The festival begins at 6 p.m. sharp. Admission is $10 and if children are accompanied by an adult, they get in free. All the proceeds from the event will go to support the Summer Kids Free Art Camp. Last year the Festival helped send 500 local children to camp.

Anyone interested in entering their baked goods should call Shar Coultry as soon as possible to pre-register and for all the details. She can be reached at the Peace Gallery North at 250-787-0993. The judging will take place at 4 p.m. and all baked goods to be judged must be submitted by 9:30 a.m.