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Chocolate, Chocolate, Everywhere!
That’s
what you’ll find at the 7th Annual Wild, Wonderful Chocolate Festival & Street
Fair Saturday, October 8th, 2005 in the beautiful mountain village of Oakhurst
California. Oakhurst is on State Highway 41, the Southern Yosemite Highway,
just a short drive to the southern gate of Yosemite National Park and near
beautiful Bass Lake.
The first event of the day will be the early morning
Kiwanis Chocolate Chip Pancake Breakfast … Chocolate syrup optional! Then, look
for tastings of all kinds of chocolate in “Chocolate Alley” the BIG tent that
holds the world famous Wild, Wonderful Bake Sale, vendors who give tastings of
their goods, chocolate fudge, other chocolate, and a beautiful big chocolate
fountain where you can dip fruit, pretzels, marshmallows and all kinds of
goodies into the chocolate fountain and enjoy right on the spot!
There
are several categories of Baking Contests in 2005. The Chocolate Festival will
feature the Professional Chef’s category, the Amateur Category, the Children’s
Category, and the Sugar Free Category. Each year the entries are chosen on
appearance, taste, and originality and it is truly amazing to see what our local
people can create! For the 2005 Chocolate Festival, there is a mystery event in
the planning stages so we can’t tell you what it is… but it’s initials are: …
1st Annual Wild Wonderful Mountain Chocolate Dessert Competition with Mystery
Judges! Once this secret competition is completed, the winners will be
announced at the Festival so you can find the location of the restaurant and
experience the scrumptious dessert on your own.
The
“Chocolate Festival Queen” and her court will be busy all day long, awarding
prizes to the winners of the baking contests, the favorite car in the Sweet,
Sleek, Car Show, the chocolate pudding eating contest, the tug o’ war, and back
by popular demand, the Chocolate Pudding Wrestling contest! They can also be
found selling raffle tickets for a trip to Las Vegas and a tour of the Ethel M.
Chocolate Factory.
The
Children’s Museum of the Sierra will open its doors again this year for great
fun for children. The bounce house is always fun, as is the chocolate spin art
and the “Chocolate Pudding Eating Contest” (no spoons, no hands). Grown ups’
and kids love watching the “Chocolate Tug O’ War” and the almost world famous
“Chocolate Milk Dunk” tank.
There will a full day of fun entertainment, and by popular
demand, the world famous, stunningly beautiful; dancing “Green Mmmmmmmmm” will
make a return performance! She was last seen dancing on nationwide TV when the
Food Networks, “All American Festival” show documented the 2003 Wild, Wonderful
Chocolate Festival & Street Faire. … And of course, every year we have live,
wandering M&M’s and Hershey Kisses, on hand for pictures and to answer questions
about the festival.
The Street Faire will feature vendors who, as in past
festivals, offer antiques, toys, artwork, jewelry, wood workers, clothing, gift
items and crafters, and lots of vendors of all kinds along Golden Oak Drive to
participate in the Street Faire. And, of course, there are always, always,
wonderful food vendors … Tri tip sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs, Indian
Taco’s from a local tribe and so much more, don’t want to miss that! As in
previous years, we will again hold our fabulous and impressive silent auction …
and raffles with all kinds of prizes, including cash prizes, through out the
day. The Mind Shop Book Store, Western Sierra Nursery, Sierra Horse Connection,
and all other local merchants along Golden Oak Drive will be open during the
festivities and that just adds to the fun!
The Wild, Wonderful Chocolate Festival is produced by the
“Wild, Wonderful Women & Friends” a non-profit organization dedicated to “having
fun, and doing good things for the community.” Approximately $50,000.00,
raised at past Chocolate Festivals and from other means, has been donated to
over 20 other non-profit organizations that do good works in the mountain
communities. And, it is estimated that over $100,000.00 has been brought into
the local economy each year the Festival has been held. The Wild, Wonderful
Women & Friends also have founded and support the “Wonderful King Vintage
Museum” which is also located on Golden Oak Drive in Oakhurst and will be open
during the Chocolate Festival. The museum displays the collection of Barbara
and Alan King and is currently featuring part of their extensive collection of
vintage wedding gowns, please come and visit, enjoy, and support our museum.
The Wild, Wonderful Women & Friends also have founded and support the “Wonderful
Treasures Thrift Shop” and the Thrift Shop will have a booth at the Chocolate
Festival, near the Museum, so look for it and see what wonderful treasures you
might find!
You know, until October 8, 2005 when the Chocolate Festival
is held, it’s a good idea to remember that Chocolate Cookie pieces contain no
fat … the process of breaking … causes fat leakage … and the preservatives in
chocolate make you look younger anyway… so enjoy and eat your chocolate. It
really IS, good for you and makes you feel good too! And nothing is as good as
feeling good and having fun. See you October 8th at the Wild, Wonderful
Chocolate Festival!
7TH Annual Wild Wonderful Chocolate Festival & Street Faire
Golden Oak Drive
Oakhurst, California
Saturday, October 8, 2005
9:00 to 4:00 P.M.
For more information visit their website at
www.wildwonderfulwomen.org , email
wildwonderfulwomen@sti.net, or call at 559/683-1993.
Edited by Erika Wright
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