2017 Chocolate Festival

COME INDULGE FOR A CAUSE WITH US!

100% of the profits are donated to the non-profit Project Open Hand! Project Open Hand is a nonprofit organization that provides meals with love to seniors and the critically ill.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Lounge: Come sip and savor premium samples from local wineries, breweries, spirits and gourmet dessert vendors in the heart of the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival. This exclusive area of the event will require an additional ticket good for even more gourmet tastings, so unwind, relax, and try something new! Only open for Festival guests 21 years and older.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Earthquake Ice Cream Eating Contest: A Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival Tradition! Festival attendees compete or just witness the hilarity as six lucky people eat the famous Ghirardelli "Earthquake" Sundae as fast as they can without hands. Battling each other and their own stomachs, competitors are sure to make this experience a memorable (and delicious) one. Children also compete with a smaller version of the famous Earthquake Sundae. There are three competitions on both Saturday and Sunday.

Chocolate School – "From Cocoa Bean to Chocolate Bar": Come join Ghirardelli's "Chocolate School" where audience members are taken through a tour of the delicious chocolate making process. Learn every step a bean takes to become that mouthwatering chocolate bar.

Chef Demonstrations: Local culinary professionals work their delicious magic on both Saturday and Sunday at Waxman's Culinary Stage at the Festival. Be engaged in all things chocolate and learn the inside scoop on many delectable delights. Learning has never tasted so good! The Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival hosts over 50 vendors, culinary demos by top dessert professionals and the popular Ghirardelli Chocolate Lounge. The best part? 100% of the profits from this event are donated to San Francisco nonprofit, Project Open Hand.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

12:30PM - Tessa Arias – Chef, Cookbook Author & Blogger ( Handle the Heat)

1:30PM - Robert Stokes – Owner/Cheesemaker (Queso Kings & Artisan Cheese Factory)

2:30PM - GHIRARDELLI ICE CREAM EATING CONTEST*

Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 5-8)

Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 9-12)

Earthquake Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 13+)

*Participants will be chosen at random from audience

4:00PM - David "Pastry Dave" Blom – Executive Pastry Chef (Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

12:30PM - Jenna Fu – Ghirardelli Chocolate School

1:30PM - Ryan Scott & Cheryl Storms – Chef/TV Personality & Pastry Chef (Finn Town)

2:30PM - GHIRARDELLI ICE CREAM EATING CONTEST*

Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 5-8)

Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 9-12)

Earthquake Sundae Eating Contest(Ages 13+)

*Participants will be chosen at random from audience

4:00PM - Penelope Lao – Pastry Chef (Liholiho Yacht Club)

OUR SPONSORS

We thank our Sponsors for supporting the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival and Project Open Hand