UPDATE: 1st Hilo Cacao & Chocolate Festival Passports Available

UPDATE: March 12, 2018

The 1st Hilo Cacao & Chocolate Festival on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel will offer a Chocolate Passport for $20 in advance and $25 at the door for a chocolate tasting and evaluation of 100% Grown and Made in Hawai‘i Chocolate.

The festival is free; however, to obtain a Chocolate Passport, go to this PayPal link.

ORGINAL POST: March 1, 2018

The East Hawai‘i Cacao Association will be presenting the 1st Hilo Cacao & Chocolate Festival on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel located at 71 Banyan Drive.

This free event aims to support and expand the growing and processing of cacao on Hawai‘i Island, as well as the tourism focus for cacao farm tours and world-class chocolate that is created here.

Displays will illustrate the complete chocolate making process “from tree to bar.” Five-hundred free cacao seedlings will be available to take home, with printed literature for growing and processing cacao.

Representatives from many educational organizations such as Master Gardeners, CTHAR, Office of Hawai‘i Affairs, Big Island Invasive Species Committee, Hawai‘i Ant Lab, Hawai‘i Farmers Union United, Kona Cacao Association and Hawai‘i Chocolate & Cacao Association to mention a few.

Many local chocolatiers will be selling their products at the event. A silent auction will be held with all proceeds going towards furthering the education and promotion of growing cacao on Hawai‘i Island.

Barefoot Chocolatini and Hawai‘i Forest and Trail will offer three tours to OK Farm on the Wailuku River in Hilo between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Seating is limited to 12 persons per tour.

For more information, contact the East Hawai‘i Cacao Association at EHCA@groupmail.com.