By Taylor McCune
The Carolina Chocolate Festival almost got its start at a dance hall in Raleigh instead of its location at the Crystal Coast Civic Center in Morehead City where it will be held 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5.
In 2012, the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary. More information on the 10th annual festival is available at www.carolinachocolatefestival.com.
The festival may just now be celebrating 10 years, but it was a concept a quarter-century in the making.
Founder John Green was living in the Triangle in 1987 when he announced to his wife, Marlene that he wanted to put on a chocolate festival to benefit charity. The festival would be held at the dance hall, next to a church.
Mrs. Green admits she doesn't really know why her late husband (Mr. Green died in 2006) was so bent on putting on a chocolate festival.
"I'm a chocoholic. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. I think he must have gone to a chocolate festival somewhere and decided that would be a really good way for nonprofits to make some money," she said.
The couple made arrangements with the dance hall and everything seemed to be falling into place for the first Carolina Chocolate Festival. That was until the church next door purchased the building.
"They wanted nothing to do with it," Mrs. Green said. "It went down the tubes."
If Mr. Green was discouraged about the cancellation, he didn't let it get to him. The couple moved to California for a few years and considered a chocolate festival out west, but Mrs. Green said Mr. Green didn't feel the chemistry was right.
More time passed, and in 2001 the Greens found themselves back in North Carolina, this time on the Crystal Coast. The following year, the Carolina Chocolate Festival finally opened for the first time, cleverly timed for a weekend before Valentine's Day so "the guys could come in and buy their chocolates."
It was a joint effort between Mr. and Mrs. Green, founding board members and the charities that would benefit from the event. Ms. Green said the festival would "not be possible" without the help of the charities, but Mr. Green's experience as a university planner (he was a key figure in the planning of N.C. State's veterinary school) helped as well.
"That was his area of expertise: putting things together and making them work," she said.
After so much work, Mrs. Green said she was nervous to see how many people would end up coming. The worries were unfounded.
"When I walked out the doors to see how many people were in line, and that line went all the way around the campus, I just sat there and cried."
It turned out that people really like chocolate, especially when they can sample and purchase all different kinds.
Mrs. Green said the variety of chocolate products at the festival is one of her favorite things about the event.
"Another neat thing is what the vendors bring in," she said, expressly noting the strawberries dipped in chocolate. Other fun items Mrs. Green mentioned are Escazu brand chocolates, which originated in Beaufort. Escazu's bars come in flavors ranging from small-batch dark chocolates to chili chocolate, salted chocolate and more.
"His (Escazu owner, Hallot Parsons') chocolate is obviously different, we were really pleased when he came aboard."
It's easy to jump to the conclusion that a chocolate festival is all about the eating, but not all "chocolate" products are edible. Sometimes, they're purely for decoration.
"The first time we had chocolate jewelry we were like 'really?' But people really like it," Mrs. Green said. The jewelry she's talking about comes in the form of "chocolate pearls," richly colored brown and tan beaded necklaces.
The vendors and their wares are just one highlight of the festival. Throughout the weekend, chocoholics can engage in pudding-eating contests, a wine tasting, a chocolate-themed spa day and a chocolate themed four-course dinner. (See sidebar for more information.)
Festival entrance fees and tickets to all companion events support the nine charities that help plan the event each year. It was Mr. Green's vision to help those organizations raise money, and Mrs. Green said she's thankful for their help.
"I'm really pleased that the charities continue to participate," she said. "Without them, it would not happen."
She said Mr. Green would have been pleased as well and may even have expanded the festival by now.
"He probably would have been doing another one someplace else as well as this one," she said.
Unfortunately, Mr. Green's busy life was cut short five years after the festival began. Just before the 2006 festival, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The prognosis wasn't very good but Mr. Green couldn't be called off his duties.
"The doctor wanted to do the surgery right then and he said, 'No, I have a chocolate festival to put on,'" Mrs. Green said.
Mr. Green died several months after the festival, but his vision of philanthropy -- and chocolate -- continues.
"Ten years! It's something," Mrs. Green said. "He was right. Folks like chocolate."
Taylor McCune
As winter settles in, I can sometimes be found basking in the glow of my desk lamp, eyes closed, trying to recreate something close to summer's warmth.
February is always the hardest month for me. It's just before March, when hints of spring start to show up. It's winter's last, miserable stand.
This year February will be worse than ever, for me anyway.
I started dreading this month when I calculated my baby's due date back in June. He's supposed to come on or around Feb. 28. The bitter end of the bitter end of winter.
Nothing personal, February, but you're just so gray and boring and cold. Having to wait day by day for a hugely exciting event (while feeling huge) throughout your entirety is just utterly depressing.
I've been trying to gather some positive thoughts to carry me through the month:
