From boozy mocha lattes and brownie cheesecakes to chocolate hair masks and tiramisu, the small-town celebration of chocolate in February is contagious across Peterborough County.
The Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival, held annually by the Lakefield Village Lions Club, has inspired the Millbrook and District Lions Club to host a sweet tooth celebration of its own — the inaugural Roar for Chocolate Event.
According to Jackie Murison, co-chair of the Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival, the Lakefield Village Lions Club launched its festival six years ago to help support local businesses while giving the community something to celebrate during the coldest month of the year.
“We wanted to thank the businesses and help them out because it’s a slower time of year, and we wanted to help people get out of their homes,” Murison says. “It’s a great way to get out with family and friends, visit local businesses, and share a treat.”
Until Tuesday, February 17, participating businesses in Lakefield are serving up specialty chocolate creations, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Lakefield Village Lions Club to support community organizations and families in need.
Decadent hot chocolates, butter cookies, creamed orange chocolate honey, gelato, and chocolate paraffin hand and foot treatments are just a few of the many imaginative tastes and services that can be found at 18 participating businesses across the village.
When you’ve taken a bite, indulged in a sip, or been pampered by the chocolate treats, you will be eligible to vote for your favourites across the food, beverage, and creative categories. Voting can be done at ballot boxes located in any of the participating locations or through an online form. You can vote for more than one business in each category, but not for the same business more than once.
Select businesses are getting involved in other ways without being eligible for votes. This includes The Chocolate Rabbit, which will donate a percentage of hot chocolate vial sales to the festival, and Ball Real Estate Lakefield, which will be raffling off a gift basket full of chocolates and other goodies this Friday (February 13).
To follow along and see the crafty creations, visit the Lakefield Chocolate Creations Festival Facebook event page.
Encouraged by the success of the Lakefield festival, the Millbrook & District Lions Club launched its inaugural Roar for Chocolate Event this year.
Until Saturday, February 21, participating Millbrook businesses are serving up a range of tasty confections including chocolate orange tiramisu, chocolate cranberry trail mix, and mocha martinis, as well as unique chocolate-themed items such as a chocolate and mint scalp renewal treatment.
“We have a very eclectic little downtown area in Millbrook so it’s a chance for people to get into the stores,” says Janet Kennedy, past president of the Millbrook & District Lions Club. “The merchants have really gotten on board with this and have come up with some interesting things.”
Participating locations are displaying the event poster in their store windows, and ballot boxes are available at each location for customers to vote for their favourites. Visitors can vote for more than one business, but cannot vote for the same business more than once.
To see the participating businesses and their creations, follow along on the Town Hoopla – Millbrook and Area Facebook group.
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