ESCONDIDO — “For the love of chocolate,” as the festival’s top billing goes, Escondido Chocolate Festival will rear its head once more within the city’s downtown core on Feb. 9 — just days before Valentine’s Day.
Not merely a chocolate-eating festival, though there will be plenty of that to go around too, the event will feature over 20 restaurants, shops and spas participating in the afternoon festivities. With pedicabs available as shuttle vehicles to take chocolate eaters from shop to shop, those indulging in chocolates will be able to pair it with locally produced wines and craft beers.
Being the second Saturday of the month, Chocolate Festival will fall on the same day as Second Saturday in Escondido, a day in which the downtown core of art galleries and museums maintain open hours and often special events. This time around, one of those galleries — Stone & Glass — will feature Valentine’s Day-themed glassblowing.
“In honor of Valentine’s Day, Stone & Glass will be introducing a new line of ‘Fire in My Heart’ pendants. Each unique pendant is individually hand cast in color change crystal — a method similar to hot wax for gold jewelry — set in a silver bezel on a delicate 18-inch silver chain,” the gallery stated in a press release. “The hearts will display an ever changing fiery array of color ignited by light and movement. For the festival, Stone & Glass will be offering ticket holders a 10-percent discount on any purchases throughout the day. And, they will be giving live glass-blowing demonstrations in their studio throughout the event.”
Ticket prices range from $30 to $50. The event goes from 1 to 5 p.m.. Though now sold out, the day will also feature a chocolate-making session held in Cute Cakes Bakery & Cafe and led by Dayleen Coleman, owner of the San Marcos artisan chocolate shop, D’liteful Chocolat.
