Annual Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival returns Feb. 18

GREENVILLE — Chocolate lovers will be able to satisfy their sweet tooths once again at the 14th annual Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18 at the Greenville Consolidated School on Pritham Avenue.

The festival is hosted by Destination Moosehead Lake — the former Moosehead Lake Chamber of Commerce — and the Maine Highlands and is sponsored by DKB Catering of Greenville, the Indian Hill Trading Post at Moosehead Lake and Rowell’s Garage of Dover-Foxcroft. All event proceeds will go toward Destination Moosehead Lake and its work marketing the region.

Destination Moosehead Lake Director of Tourism Angela Arno, who served as executive director when the operation was a chamber of commerce, said some changes are in store for the 2018 festival. “We had always done a full-sized box for $10 and kid’s zone, but this had no chocolates,” she said. “We found most kids just want to go there and get chocolates.”

This year attendees, who travel from near and far, to the Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival can pick either the full size or fun-sized box options which allow for the selection of either 10 or five chocolates samples available from over 40 different items. Possibilities include petit fours, chocolate lasagna, chocolate covered bacon, Malibu rum balls or a hand-dipped treat from the King Chocolate’s Foundation.

“Instead of the kid’s zone we are going to offer the smaller box,” Arno said. “Adults can do this too, which can be good if you are still sticking with your New Year’s resolutions.”

The director of tourism said another new addition for the 14th annual Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival is the “FastPass.” Arno said the idea came from Disney World as pass holders can have early admission from 12:30-1 p.m. and will be able to pick 10 chocolates.

“We are only selling 45 of those, so beat the rush and get in and out and on with your day,” she said.

Arno said Feb. 18 will include a “Chocolate Lovers Luncheon” for the first time, with the meal being held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bartley Family Event Center just down Pritham Avenue from the school.

“It’s not just going to be just a sticky sweet lunch,” she said as luncheon attendees can see how chocolate can affect the flavor of savory foods, such as barbecue, before they head up the street to the festival. Meal tickets include a FastPass and the accompanying 10 chocolate choices.

“Diane Bartley has wanted to do this for a while,” Arno said, as Bartley and her DKB Catering business will be cooking up the Chocolate Luncheon.

For tickets and more information on the 2018 Moosehead Lake Chocolate Festival, please go to www.destinationmooseheadlake.com/chocolate.