The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE — The 13th annual Chocolate Festival, sponsored by the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Craft Center, will be held Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Historic Masonic Theatre.
There will be dozens of different chocolate dishes to sample. Cakes, pies, cookies, candy, cupcakes, ice cream, and covered fruit and nuts are just some of the treats that will be offered.
A contest with several categories is judged by a select panel of local citizens, and a Best in Show is chosen by festival attendees.
Please consider entering your favorite chocolate dish. The contest is open to all ages and every entry is enjoyed by the visitors to the festival. Multiple entries are welcome.
Visitors can buy non-chocolate items at a huge bake sale, dip morsels in a flowing chocolate fountain and watch several demonstrations by professional chefs.
Musicians will entertain you while you visit. All of these activities will be held in the WestRock Ballroom.
In the Underground Café and Lounge, a silent aution will be held from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with items donated by local businesses and residents.
Vendors with many kinds of items for sale will also be in the Underground. Jill Jensen, Artist in Education, will demonstrate her print making skills that she shared with local high school students and teachers. Pulled pork sandwiches and hot dogs with homemade chili will be sold from the Underground kitchen.
On the main floor the chocolate-themed art panels, created by local artists, will be on display and for sale. Some panels are whimsical, some are witty, some are exquisite. The panels will please any art whim.
Also on the main floor, you can buy tasting tickets, register for a 50/50 and sign up to win the door prize.
The Chocolate Festival is the main fundraiser sponsored by the Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center, and the funds raised will be used for art programs for citizens of all ages.
The Artist in Education brings a professional artist to a local high school for a two-week residency where teachers and students can learn from an outstanding professional.
Summer camp for younger children is sponsored by the festival funds as are other artistic events set by the center.
The Alleghany Highlands Arts and Craft Center is partially supported by Alleghany County, the city of Covington, the town of Clifton Forge, The Alleghany Foundation and the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Their major corporate sponsor is WestRock.
Donations for this event are accepted at the arts center located on Ridgeway Street in Clifton Forge. The phone number is 862-4447.
