This One-of-A-Kind Illinois Chocolate Festival Is The Sweetest Thing You’ll Ever Do
By Elizabeth Crozier|Published April 17, 2019
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
An Illinois transplant who grew up and went to school in Indiana for 22 years, Elizabeth holds a BFA in creative writing and has enjoyed traveling across the country and parts of Europe. She has visited half of the states, as well as parts of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, and regularly travels home to the Hoosier State to see friends and family. With more than five years of writing experience, Elizabeth’s articles have been featured on several websites, and her poetry and short stories have been published in multiple literary journals.
Nothing sounds more fun than a chocolate festival, and there’s going to be one right here in Illinois. The lucky community of Long Grove is going to host its annual event this May, and your sweet tooth isn’t going to want to miss it.
Chocolatiers, carnival rides, live music, and so much more abound at this unique event. Scroll on for more details.
Spanning three days in May, the annual Long Grove Chocolate Festival is a local favorite that attracts Illinoisans from Chicagoland and further reaches of the Land of Lincoln who love chocolate in all its forms. It features a vendor market, live music, demonstrations, treasure hunts, hot food, a carnival, contests, and much more.
Spend the weekend on the north side of the state May 17-19, 2019 to enjoy this family-friendly fest. It's the town's signature celebration, and it attracts more than 1,000 attendants each year.
Kicking off fair and festival season, this event features food vendors like Brothers BBQ, Quang Noodle, My Funnel, Dumpling House, Covered Bridge Creamery, Signature Popcorn, Strawberry Patch, and La Cebollita Grill. The smells will guide you where to eat.
Interspersed with the food vendors are the local chocolate vendors. These include Long Grove Confectionery, The Bom Truffles, Puna Chocolate Company, and My Decadent Sweet Tooth. You'll want to hit up each and every one of these booths to sample their delicious treats and see what all they have in store.
When you're not shopping and eating, this sweet festival has plenty of other things to do and enjoy. Live music is the main attraction outside of the chocolate. Local bands come together to put on a memorable show you won't want to miss.
Crowds also form for the pie eating contests, which are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to sign up at the red Long Grove Confectionery tent the day of the event.
There will also be carnival rides available all three days of this fest. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday as well as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday and guests can purchase unlimited ride passes for $20.
Additionally, there will be activities for young children at the Primrose School of Long Grove Kid's Zone. This unique area will offer a myriad of fun outdoor activities to keep young ones of all ages entertained for hours.
Festival hours are noon to 11 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 p.m. 6 p.m. on Sunday. Whether you've got a day or the whole weekend to spare, the Long Grove Chocolate Festival will fill it with fun and sweets.
The cost to enter is $5 per person per day, though you can secure a three-day pass for $10 online (link below). Single-day tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Kids age 12 and below are admitted for free.
