Chocolate fest opens today
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ARLEE – Delicious chocolate treats will be served at the 13th annual Chocolate Lover’s Festival on Wednesday, Feb. 8, starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Brown Building.
“People can get a head start on Valentine’s Day this year,” said Shannon Patton, event organizer. People enjoy chocolate creations of all kinds at the fundraising event from chocolate truffles to chocolate- layered lasagna, all for a good cause.
“Every bid helps a kid,” Patton said of the event mantra.
People are invited to donate two chocolate creations to the event or just show up as a taster. One treat is cut into bite-size pieces for people to taste, and the second identical treat is put in the auction.
Tasters pay $2 per person or $5 for a family at the door, and then, they line up to fill their plates. After each treat gets a taste, JR Strand opens up the auction, and people can bid on their favorite item, and if they win, they can take their melt-in-yourmouth chocolate dish home.
“The money we raise goes to help youth programs,” Patton said.
Those programs include a project to buy books for kids, sports programs for kids of all ages, and art projects. Part of the proceeds help support the Jocko Valley Library.
“It’s a great event, people can support programs in our community and eat chocolate,” she said.
The Arlee Community Development Corporation hosts the chocolate extravaganza. People are also welcome to join the CDC during the festival.
“We need people to sign up for a $10 membership to show that we have community support when we write grants for projects,” Patton said.
The CDC needs more members.
“This is about community development, and we need the whole community,” she said.
The event is back in the Brown Building again this year, although rumor was that it might move to a bigger location.
“My hope is that we have so many people come in that we are busting at the seams and have to move it somewhere else next year,” she said.
But for now, people can pack into the location and listen to live music provided by Matt Brown and Troy Patton.
For more information, call the CDC at 406-726-5550.
