The San Diego Maritime Museum hosts 7th annual Chocolate Festival

SAN DIEGO — Some might say eating chocolate is a close second to feeling the Pacific Ocean’s breeze in your hair aboard a classic, historic boat. The San Diego Maritime Museum will combine the enjoyment of chocolate and Pacific Ocean breeze into one event on the city’s downtown waterfront, April 29.

Chocoholics and boaters alike will not want to miss the 7th annual Chocolate Festival, A Celebration of Chocolate on the Bay, which is sure to have mouths watering.

The Chocolate Festival will return to The San Diego Maritime Museum on Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each guest will receive complimentary chocolate at the ticket booth as they purchase a ticket; the festival features several vendors hosting events and activities on the museum’s iconic ships.

Patrons might be puzzled – why would The Maritime Museum, an on-water museum featuring various famous vessels such as Star of India, be an ideal location for a chocolate festival? As it turns out, chocolate has a storied history and arrived here via seafaring travels, which attendees will have the opportunity to learn about when they come to the event.

Instant gratification is definitely the theme of the day as little chocolate gifts and takeaways will be strewn throughout the event, beginning with entry.

Theresa Smullen, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for The San Diego Maritime Museum, told The Log, “Guests attending the 7th Annual Chocolate Festival can expect to have a great time. Each guest will receive chocolate at the ticket booth as soon as they purchase admission.”

Two food trucks at the entrance of the museum will be sampling and selling chocolate treats, and demonstrations about cooking and baking with chocolate will happen through the day. A scavenger hunt, based around clues about chocolate, will ensue as well as a guessing game estimating how many chocolates are in a jar.

For those who are of drinking age, beer and chocolate pairings will be on HMS Surprise. Lovers of dessert pizzas can make his or her own chocolate pizzas on Star of India.

Berkeley, the ferryboat, will be hosting a variety of local chocolate companies sampling and selling some of their all-time favorite chocolate desserts.

Sponsors of this event include Kimmie Candy Company, Wild Barrel Brewing Company, So Rich! Chocolates and Cheryl’s Caramels.

Adults gain entry for $25; children ages 3-12 get in for $13 and all children 2 and under can attend for free. Tickets can be bought at the door or booked online on San Diego Maritime Museum’s official website.

San Diego Maritime Museum is located at 1492 North Harbor Drive.

For more information about this event, visit the website at sdmaritime.org or call 619-234-9153 ext. 101.

Photo credit: Maggie Walton