“If you dislike chocolate, please stay away from the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge on November 6,” said Lodge Noble Grand Jean-Paul Montreuil today, with tongue firmly in cheek. “That’s the day of the Davis Chocolate Festival and it will be all things chocolate, all the time.”
The Davis Odd Fellows Lodge announced that the first annual Davis Chocolate Festival will be held at the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge Hall, 415 Second Street, Downtown Davis, on Sunday, November 6, from 3 to 6 p.m. Advance ticket sales will be available for the general public at $5 per person starting October 6 at Avid Reader Active in Downtown Davis and Common Grounds in South Davis. Tickets may also be purchased at the door of the event on November 6. “We invite the entire community,” said Festival Co-Chair Kurt Roggli. “It’s a family-friendly festival.”
A myriad of events is planned for the Chocolate Festival, utilizing both the Upper Hall and the Lower Hall of the Lodge. Among other things, ticket holders will enjoy the following: chocolate-themed music by local artists and entertainers, chocolate poetry, chocolate lectures by esteemed UCD professor Louis Grivetti, a chocolate making demonstration, a cupcake decorating demonstration, a candy making demonstration, and a classic video by the Hershey Chocolate Company. Mishka’s Cafe is providing complimentary coffee for guests of the event. All this is included in the price of admission.
A chocolate chip cookie bake off will result in the declaration of a the Chocolate Chip Cookie Monarch of Davis. Three celebrity judges will determine the winners who will be announced during the Festival. The Judges are Shelley Dunning, John Lescroart, and Mayor Robb Davis.
Guests can stop by the Festival silent auction to bid on baskets of goodies.
In addition, a number of local and regional chocolate vendors will have their products on display and for sale to the public, including some free samples. The vendors include Dandelion Chocolate Co., The Candy House of Davis, Claudia Marie, Vevey’s Confections, Newsbeat, Julie Cross Private Chef, The Lodge Catering, and the Davis Food Coop. A chocolate bake sale table will display products from local bakers for sale to the public.
Plus, for $12 visitors can purchase a light dinner of Chicken Mole over Rice. Two bars will be open with sales of wine, beer, soft drinks, and mixed drinks, including chocolate-themed adult beverages such as Chocolate Martinis. A specially-brewed chocolate beer will also be available for purchase at the bars.
The Chocolate Festival is an event for the community, organized by the Davis Odd Fellows Lodge. Sponsors of the event include the Davis Odd Fellows, the Davis Enterprise, Tim Ainsworth, Dawn Coder – Realtor with Coldwell Baker, Sherry and Tony Pruitt, Lea and Dave Rosenberg, Sue Treadwell – Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, and Joyce Trujillo. All proceeds from the Chocolate Festival will be used by the Davis Odd Fellows to benefit Yolo County children in need.
The Davis Odd Fellows Lodge is a non-sectarian, non-political fraternal organization of men and women. It was chartered in Davis in 1870 and is the oldest continuously operating organization within the city limits. Currently, the Lodge has 260 members. “We are focused on doing good works in the community and around the world,” said Montreuil, “and we also provide a fun social network for our members.”