Chocolate will sweeten up a prom, a Mardi Gras dinner and a murder mystery that will come to Bloomington for the 21st annual Week of Chocolate this February.
The 17-day festival will run Feb. 2-8 at various locations around Bloomington. The 13-event itinerary can be found here.
This year’s festival is hosted by LIFEDesigns, a support center for people with disabilities in southern Indiana counties. The nonprofit organization offers community living, housing, employment and education for over 350 people, according to the organization’s website.
The highlighted event of the festival is “Art of Chocolate” Feb. 10 at the Indiana Memorial Union Alumni Hall.
“Art of Chocolate” is a Mardi Gras-themed dinner with cocktails, live entertainment and an artist painting live models in chocolate. The event is for ages 21 and above, and all benefits go to LIFEDesigns.
Participants in the Week of Chocolate can receive a Chocolate Passport to collect a stamp at each attended event.
At the end of the festival, confectionery Peacetree Mountain Truffles in College Mall will award participants with a four-piece box for three stamps on their passport, and a nine-piece box for five stamps.
During the festival, nonprofit and for-profit organizations will host events to raise money and awareness for their causes.
Restaurants and bars C3, Crumble Coffee & Bakery and Finch’s Brasserie will offer chocolate-themed food, desserts and cocktails.
The first event of the festival, “We Paint...Jazz! Gallery Opening,” will be Feb. 2 at the Vault at Gallery Mortgage, a Bloomington art gallery.
This free event features hors d’oeuvres and an art gallery made for the Week of Chocolate by the Bloomington Watercolor Society, which will run through April 2. All benefits will go to LIFEDesigns and Bloomington Watercolor Society Members.
“Dine in the Dark” will take place Feb. 8 at Faith Lutheran Church as a three-course chocolate-inspired meal with a twist.
“Guests will be blindfolded for a portion of the meal in order to bring awareness to the challenges associated with vision impairment and other disabilities,” according to the LIFEDesigns website.
All benefits go to People & Animal Learning Services.
The 10th annual "Chocolate Prom" will be Feb. 10 at Rhino’s Youth Center. The event will feature a chocolate fondue fountain, a DJ and a photo booth.
"A Taste of Romance" will be presented Feb. 13 at the Bell Trace Senior Living Center.
"A romantic ambiance full of delicious homemade chocolates, local wines, enchanting musical performances, dance and poetry," according to the website.
The "Roaring 20's Murder Mystery" will be Feb. 16 at Bloomington apartment complex The Fields. Tickets include a full dinner, two drink tickets and participation in the game.
"The event will feature a prohibition theme with two midwest families feuding while a Chicago gangster mob steals a chocolate statue," according to the website.
For the last event of the festival, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater will present 1971 film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” Feb. 18.
Clark Gudas
