Sample Your Way Through Numerous Chocolate Vendors at this Unique Event

By: Brooke Price

Mouth-watering chocolates on display. (Credit: thechocolateexpo.com)

Calling all chocoholics and foodies, have we got news for you! The Chocolate Expo, an event dedicated to chocolate, where patrons can sample and purchase local chocolatiers’ sweet creations as well as participate in fun events, is coming to New Jersey on March 31st.

This unique event focuses more on the local chocolate companies in the New York/New Jersey area. There are other products to sample and purchase besides chocolate, which include candies, baked goods, wines, cheeses and more.

The Chocolate Expo is the nation’s largest chocolate event and is located in New York and New Jersey.

The Chocolate Expo is held at Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, New Jersey from 10am to 7pm.

Tickets went on sale March 3rd and are currently $15 online and $20 at the door. Another sweet treat for attendees is that they can meet Paris Themmen, who played the original Mike Tee Vee from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” at the expo.

Recently, it was held at The Cradle of Aviation Museum on March 3rd in Garden City, New York. In addition to chocolate, patrons were able to explore the air and space exhibits at the Pan Am Museum and watch cooking demonstrations.

Attendees could view a sculpture of the moon landing made out of cookies and chocolates. Another fun event patrons could watch was the Chocolate Challenge where three chefs face off against each other, making the best dish using chocolate.

For those with kids, there was a place where children could get their face painted, receive balloon animals, and meet Star Wars characters and storybook princesses.

The Chocolate Expo was also held at Garden State Plaza on January 27th in Paramus, New Jersey. Attendees celebrated the 50th anniversary of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and had the opportunity to meet actor Adrian Hall who starred as Jeremy Potts in the film.

On October 21st, the event was held at Museum Village in Monroe, New York. Patrons participated in a cupcake decorating class and were entertained by live music and sideshow performers such as Coney Island Circus Sideshow and Adam Real Man.

According to The Chocolate Expo official website, the idea for the event started when Marvin Baum developed the successful idea for the Woodstock 35th Anniversary Celebration.

Marvin Baum was in charge of the Baum image group which had been involved with imaging systems. Baum later joined up with Elliot Landy, a photographer of the Woodstock Festival to work on an event for Woodstock’s 35th anniversary.

However, Buam realized that no arrangements were made to create the event and set out to create the event himself. Baum finally found a venue to host the celebration, the New York State Museum in Albany. There, he could display Landy’s photography, artifacts from Woodstock and arranged a concert with Woodstock ’69 performers.   

Baum, Landy and the museum only had four months to promote the event and on top of that, the museum didn’t budget enough money to have an opening reception. Luckily, Baum networked with many food companies in New York and had them sell their goods at the reception.

The vendors helped boost the celebration’s popularity and the museum wound up having the largest opening reception in their history.

Baum’s Woodstock celebration received tons of recognition. Due to his success, Baum decided to switch from a technology company to an event planning one.

In 2006, Baum created a chocolate event for New York’s official holiday celebration in Albany, which led to the creation of The Chocolate Expo.

The Chocolate Expo is widely celebrated by many, hosting 30 to 90+ vendors and mustering in hundreds of people. It offers a wide array of activities and will be sure to keep you busy throughout the day.

Tickets for this chocolate paradise can be purchased on The Chocolate Expo’s official website. Get yours now and indulge in all things chocolate!