4th annual Oregon Chocolate Festival – March 7th through 9th, 2008
An all-you-can-eat chocolate extravaganza presenting
Oregon chocolate and specialty food vendors!

Another year passed by and the Oregon Chocolate Festival is back in Ashland! Chocolate lovers, young and old start planning your trip - a weekend long event will take place between March 7th and 9th.

Oregon Chocolate Festival ticket is a two-day pass to chocolate paradise! (Saturday & Sunday, March 8th and 9th, from 11am till 4pm) Tastings of an array of wonderful goods created by over 15 Oregon chocolatiers will include chocolate bars, truffles, and delicious chocolate covered famous Oregon pears, nuts, berries as well as toffees, and local fudge. Try such unusual combinations as Rogue Creamery and Lillie Belle Farms’ blue cheese chocolate truffle or Ke Kau Chocolatier’s “El Chipotle” or “Thai Curry” spiced chocolates. A square inch of pure decadence from Brownie Shotz or Silly Rabbit Chocolate Co.’s truffles will surprise and excite everyone’s palate!

For the first time we are proud to announce the Chocolate Makers’ Dinner. (Friday, March 7th at 7pm, hotel’s Crystal room $35/person). Damon Jones, the Executive Chef of Larks restaurant prepared a delightful three-course dinner that will be accompanied by presentations of two Oregon chocolatiers from Dagoba Organic Chocolates and Ke Kau Chocolatier. Another attraction of the evening is: chocolate dessert and coffee pairings presented by Noble Coffee.

Also on Friday take a stroll downtown – the Chocolate & Art Walk organized by the Ashland Gallery Association is scheduled between 5pm and 8pm. Another chocolate event is scheduled at the ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum. Spend an evening with Jeff Shepherd from Lillie Belle Farms – a true hands-on chocolate experience (7pm-9pm)

What better way to get your daily amount of antioxidants than a glass of red wine and a piece of dark chocolate! Taste local wines, diverse roasts from Noble Coffee and yummy chocolate stout served on Saturday and Sunday at the hotel in the Wine & Beer Garden.

Take a break from all that chocolate munching and participate in one of many informative seminars. Seminars will include: “The Origins of Cocoa“, “Chocolate Art”, “Chocolate and spa”, and other. Caring about your health – take part in a cooking presentation “Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Raw” and learn how you can incorporate delicious raw desserts into your diet! Take these new recipes home and cook for your family and friends. For those who trust more professional chefs than their own skills local restaurants, including Larks-Home Kitchen Cuisine at the Ashland Springs Hotel, will offer great specials, and prix fixe menus!

Ready to pamper yourself? Stop by the Waterstone Spa and the Blue Giraffe Day Spa and enjoy one of many rejuvenating specials. You deserve it after all the eating! How does a chocolate body scrub sound to you? As a matter of fact during the 4th annual Oregon Chocolate Festival there will be something for everyone. During the festival visit “Beyond Chocolate Gifts Market” (at Ashland Springs Hotel). Vendors will showcase chocolate scented body products, soaps, candles, chocolate truffle pottery, and more. Finally, Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers a 50% discount for all plays staged between March 7th and March 9th. Simply mention “chocolate festival”.

For those who want to take home more than sweet memories and boxes of chocolate festival participants have an opportunity to purchase all of the featured chocolate products, wines, beer as well as recipe books and festival T-shirts. Don’t be selfish, share unforgettable Oregon Chocolate Festival memorabilia with your family and friends back home. Even better: stay ahead of the game and purchase tickets to the Oregon Chocolate Festival and bring your family and friends along. Tickets are only $20 for both days and cover yummy tastings and seminars at the Ashland Springs Hotel. 10% of the ticket proceeds will be donated to the Ashland Food Bank.

Tickets Available at the Ashland Springs Hotel