Taste gourmet sweets, unique treats at Boulder County Chocolate Festival

Jul. 21—Chocolate is a powerful substance. In the 1971 film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," the confection rises bed-ridden Grandpa Joe from his almost-catatonic state, as he gets out of pajamas and seizes the day for a rare chance to tour the chocolate factory.

Fans of the rich, creamy and aromatic sweet will have plenty to celebrate on Saturday at Boulder County Chocolate Festival. Taking place at Longmont's Boulder County Fairgrounds, the all-day event promises over 25 vendors touting high-quality treats.

"Our first chocolate festival was at the Denver Mart in 2008," said Dana Cain, of Dana Cain Events. "We were totally amazed at the huge response and the enthusiastic crowd. In the past 14 years we've run over 50 chocolate festivals, from Winter Park to Aurora, from Loveland to Colorado Springs and almost everywhere in between."

Cain was inspired to bring this sweet event to Colorado after flipping through the channels.

"I got the idea from a show on the Travel Channel, highlighting chocolate festivals in California and Canada," Cain said. "Back then, they were totally new, and I knew I had to bring one to Denver."

Tickets are $10, and kids age 12 and under get in free. Festivities will take place from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

"The $10 admission lets everyone participate in the carnival and all the stage activities," Cain said. "Right now, we have about 30 vendors signed up."

Taste tickets are sold separately and allow attendees to sample the delicious offerings. Twelve taste tickets are $10. Those who want to amp up the experience can opt for the $50 VIP experience that includes 12 VIP indulgence tickets that allow access to VIP vendors, 12 regular taste tickets at any booth, early access 30 minutes before the festival opens and more.

New this year is Carnaval du Chocolate, an offering that promises a chance to win treats by playing games such as giant Jenga, cornhole, golf, slap-shot hockey and others. There will even be a mechanical surfboard where folks can ride waves.

"Our chocolate prizes for the carnival include chocolate-covered cherries, Lindt truffles and chocolates from Toblerone, Heath and Reese's," Cain said. "We have over 1,500 carnival chocolates. For the major prizes, we give out a Golden Ticket, worth $10 at any booth."

Participating in the festival for the first time is Moksha Chocolate, a Boulder-based bean-to-bar company that sources its cacao from its farm in Peru and other small farms in Brazil, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic.

"I'm really excited to connect with locals and share our brand story," said Michael Caines, who co-owns Moksha Chocolate with his wife Jennifer Caines. "I love educating people about the value of craft chocolate."

Caines has welcomed those interested in learning more about Moksha's unique flavor creations and process into the company's facility located at 2746 47th St. in Boulder.

Recently, Caines — who is Moksha's sole chocolatier — has incorporated an unlikely ingredient in his artisanal bars.

"We are excited to showcase our new Amazonia Functional Mushroom Bar," Caines said. "The thought of combining mushrooms and chocolate may sound bizarre, but mushrooms are all the rage these days. We combine organic lion's mane, chaga, reishi, cordyceps and maitake mushrooms to heirloom 70% cacao and lightly sweeten it with coconut sugar. The chocolate has notes of caramel, fig and coconut with a hint of savory umami."

Caines will be toting another new creation at Saturday's event.

"We are also bringing our first-release whiskey bars," Caines said. "We age our cacao in whiskey barrels for three months and the result is spectacular. Our 80% whiskey bar has only two ingredients. These bars were a huge hit for Father's Day. Another notably dark product is a 100% ceremonial cacao paste. This product has no added sugar and is perfect for drinking cacao."

From creating a popular CBD line to having products in spas, hotels and shops throughout Colorado, Moksha is only picking up speed and evolving with each new creation made.

"Moksha has gained popularity over the years," Caines said. "We have a loyal base of customers who come to our factory weekly to buy our chocolate. Most locals who find us think we're one of Boulder's best kept secrets."

Caines hopes to produce small-batch bars that will appeal to those with gourmet taste and perhaps encourage some to try something outside of their typical chocolate wheelhouse.

"Our goal for the next few years is to keep growing our customer base," Caines said. "We want people to be excited about our limited-edition bars."

Colorado collaborations are soon to be underway next month.

"In August we are working with a local farm in Palisade to make a vegan peaches and cream bar, and this fall we're working with Mauro Farms to bring back the much-anticipated Pueblo Chile Bar," Caines said. "We intend to keep making new bars from fresh local ingredients."

While Moksha focuses on using ethically sourced cacao in its products, Danconias Truffle Brownies — another Boulder-based venture — is working to provide the homeless a chance to transform their lives.

"In 2017, we had a unique opportunity to partner with Danconias Brownies to be their co-packer and use our workforce of formerly homeless adults to help bake and package the products," said Brenda Pearson, director of development and evaluation at Bridge House.

Bridge House is a nonprofit that helps folks who are experiencing homelessness through programs that allow those in need to feel empowered. Community Table Kitchen — a social enterprise of Bridge House — helps to provide nutritious meals to those in need and also provides jobs and job training through its Ready to Work program.

"Danconias already had established a significant following and brand," Pearson said. "However, to grow the business Danconias needed more operational support and infrastructure. Therefore, in the summer of 2019 Danconias leadership offered to donate the company to Community Table Kitchen. This gave us the ability to manage all aspects of the business — baking, packaging, sales and fulfillment."

Since that time, Danconias has become a local favorite not only for its quality, but for its social mission of helping those in need secure employment.

Bridge House also continues to work with those down on their luck to create a better future.

"Bridge House helps adults experiencing homelessness leave the streets behind by employing, housing and supporting them as they get a foothold to transform their lives," Pearson said.

The brownie flavors range from espresso to cookie dough.

"Our brownies are gourmet truffle brownies that taste delicious," said Scott Walker, operations coordinator for Danconias Truffle Brownies. "We have several different flavors and all of them seem to be equally popular. We even have gluten-free (brownies). What really sets us apart is the fact that we help those experiencing homelessness."

Premium ingredients like Enstrom's caramel, Himalayan sea salt, hand-carved orange peels, chocolate-covered espresso beans and organic dried raspberries are signature toppings utilized in Danconias Truffle Brownies.

"I view my role as a community servant," Cain said. " I really want folks to have a good day, that they'll remember and want to repeat. I also am proud of the fact that I support so many entrepreneurs. Pre-pandemic, our festivals often included over 80 vendors and small local businesses. I've had some chocolatiers tell me that our chocolate festivals got them on the map and helped establish their business."

To learn more, visit cochocolatefests.com/boulder-county-chocolate-festival.