2026 Festival Tickets & Schedule

From Farm to Flavor: Discover Where Chocolate Begins

Saturday Program Schedule:

10:00-10:45 Inside Apoy Benit’s Award-Winning Filipino Cacao Farm: A Story of Excellence, by Ronee de Guzman, Cacao, Coffee & Tea 

Take a trip to the Philippines with certified chocolate educator Ronee de Guzman as he shares his visit to Apoy Benit’s award-winning cacao farm. Through his experience on the farm, Ronee will give us a closer look at how cacao is grown, the people and practices behind it, and what makes this farm stand out

11:00-11:45 Keep Growing: Adapting Old Family Farms to the New Generation by Leila Carvajal Erker, CocoaSupply 

How can generations-old cacao farms continue to thrive in a changing world? Born and raised in Ecuador in a multigenerational cacao family, Leila Carvajal Erker shares how cacao families are finding new ways to build on their agricultural traditions through agritourism, innovation, and new approaches to farming.

12:00-12:45 From Our Family Farm to Our First Chocolate in El Salvador: The Tierra Bendita Story Laura Cruz, Finca Co 

What does it take to start a cacao farm? Hear firsthand from a farmer and entrepreneur in El Salvador as she shares the challenges, surprises, and lessons of building her farm while learning to make chocolate. Then taste some of the chocolate she's been making and discover the work behind every piece.

1:00-1:45 Unwrapping the Botany of Cacao by Karla Schade, Opening Chocolate

The fruit of the Cacao tree is one of the most prominent indigenous contributions of the New World to today's global food economy.  But often not much is known about the plant that it comes from. Come on a journey as we learn about this amazing plant and the miraculous steps it went through to become chocolate in your hands.

2:00-2:45 Giving Cacao Shells a Second Life: Sustainable Uses For Chocolate's Byproduct by Kalin Myers, University of Colorado, Boulder

Chocolate begins with cacao beans grown on farms around the world. When those beans reach chocolate makers in the US, they are roasted, and their thin outer shells are removed, creating a by-product that often goes to waste. But what if those discarded shells could become something useful? From drinking tea and garden mulch to biochar and even 3D printing, come explore the surprising possibilities for giving cacao shells a second life!

3:00-3:45 "Cocoa Ecotourism, an Under-Explored Opportunity: How Can We Leverage Technology? by Nana Aduna, Ohene Cocoa. 

What happens when a cocoa farm becomes a destination as well as a place to grow cacao? Nana Aduna offers visitors a firsthand look at cocoa farming on his farm in Ghana, along with the chance to experience chocolate at its source. He’ll share how cocoa ecotourism can connect visitors more closely with farmers—and how technology could help farms like his reach more people.

Saturday Workshops:

9:30-10:30 Holiday Time Eats, Treats and Chocolate!

Healthy perks in traditional holiday foods?! You’re in for a surprise with culinary registered dietitian nutritionist Kim Galeaz as she shares positive nutrition perks for all your holiday season favorites - from Thanksgiving sides, pies and potatoes, to party-time cheeseballs, shrimp, dips and oh yes, all the decadent craft chocolate! Speaker: Kim Galeaz, RDN LD

10:30-11:30 The Art of Chocolate: A Hand-Painting Class

Join our truffle painting workshop! See how we create gloss, color, and design on each truffle. Learn how to hand-paint truffles at home. Speaker: Denise Steele, Lohcally Artisan Chocolates 

11:30-12:30 Tasting Chocolate History: Origin of Chocolate in South and Central America

Explore chocolate and learn the history of cacao from the first archeological evidence 4,500 year ago to today.  Taste how 4 different origin chocolate makers are preserving cacao. Speaker: Brook Johnson, Yahara Chocolate

12:30-1:30 The Creative Act, Bringing Out the Good Stuff 

Finding a deeper well of creativity that is unique to each person and the source of deeper joy. By Susan Brown, Mademoiselle Miel (Apiarian, Artist & Chocolate Maker)

1:30-2:30 Holiday Time Eats, Treats and Chocolate!

Healthy perks in traditional holiday foods?! You’re in for a surprise with culinary registered dietitian nutritionist Kim Galeaz as she shares positive nutrition perks for all your holiday season favorites - from Thanksgiving sides, pies and potatoes, to party-time cheeseballs, shrimp, dips and oh yes, all the decadent craft chocolate! Speaker: Kim Galeaz, RDN LD

2:30-3:30 You Can Make Chocolate at Home! By Bhavani Veerapaneni, DCM

Ever wondered if you could make your own chocolate? Discover how small tabletop chocolate grinders make it possible to turn cacao into chocolate right in your own kitchen. Learn what you need to get started, how the process works, and what you can create at home. Works for homemade nut butters, too!

Special Tasting Experiences (Saturday Optional Paid Add-Ons)

Your general admission ticket includes all sampling, talks, demonstrations, and exhibits.

We also offer three special small-group guided tastings for an additional fee. Only these three experiences require a separate ticket. Add-on tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite or at the festival. Details below.

Special Ticketed Tasting #1) 10:30 - 11:30: Behind the Scenes with an International Chocolate Judge

Ever wonder how a chocolate judge tastes chocolate? Join International Chocolate Judge Karla from Opening Chocolate, to go behind the scenes of chocolate judging in this special small-group guided tasting. As you sample several of this year's award-winning bars, Karla will share some of the secrets of chocolate judging, what judges look for and what can set an award-winning bar apart. Space is limited for this ticketed tasting.

Special Ticketed Tasting #2) 1:00 - 2:00: Hops & Nibs: A Tasting of Craft Beer-Infused Craft Chocolates

Craft beer and craft chocolate belong together.

Join journalist and Bean to Barstool host David Nilsen for a 75-minute guided tasting of chocolates made with beer or its ingredients.

Along the way, David will walk attendees through the ingredients and flavors of beer, with sensory examples of the actual ingredients on hand to see, smell, and touch. You'll learn about both beer and chocolate, and gain a deeper appreciation for both as we taste through these bars. You don't have to love beer to enjoy tasting these amazing chocolate creations!

(Note: No alcohol will be served during this event.)

As the host of Bean to Barstool, David has been exploring the intersections of craft chocolate an artisan drinks since 2020, and has been a food and beverage journalist and educator for a decade. At his tasting events, he makes his topics approachable, entertaining, and educational for attendees at all knowledge levels.

What's included in the ticket price:
- 5 chocolate samples during the guided event
- Sensory guidance, storytelling, and education to make these bars come to life
- Tasting sheet and informational handouts
- 20% discount coupon for David's beer & chocolate pairing book, available for sale at the festival

Join us for this unique and exciting tasting!

One ticket=one participant If the class is cancelled by the instructor for any reason, ticket refunds will be issued, but Eventbrite fees cannot be refunded.

Special Ticketed Tasting #3) 2:30 - 3:30: Weird Chocolates!

How adventurous are your taste buds? Come explore the sometimes weird, always unique chocolate inclusions from around the world in this small-group guided tasting. Sample unexpected tastes and unique techniques in this tasting with Karla from Opening Chocolate.