Sweet! Calgary's charity hot chocolate festival returns in February
Hot chocolates from Calgary's 8 Cakes (left) and Hertiage Park (right) are seen. (YYC Hot Chocolate Fest)
Dozens of vendors will be selling specialty hot chocolates for charity for the month of February during Calgary's annual YYC Hot Chocolate Fest.
The charitable competition sees cafés and restaurants sell creative and specially-crafted hot chocolates, some boozy and some not, with a portion of the sales going to Calgary Meals on Wheels.
Last year was the event's biggest year yet, with more than 60,000 hot chocolates sold and over $79,000 raised for the charity.
This year, there are just under 100 vendors signed up to participate, according to the website.
If you have dietary restrictions, don't fret – there are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan hot chocolates available.
After the event wraps up at the end of February, awards will be handed out for the city's best hot chocolates.
Last year, the winners were:
- Cornerstone Music Café, which had the top rated hot chocolate.
- Hexagon Café, which had the best selling hot chocolate; and
- Kristi YYC, which had the top rated spirited hot chocolate.
Participating vendors include:
- Black Sheep
- Vendome Cafe
- Rosso
- Holy Cow
- Calgary Heritage Roasting Co.
- The Bullet Coffee House
- Abbey's Creations
- V Burger
- Fringe Coffee
- Chocolate Lab
- Mr Sun Tea
- Stable
- D6 Tabletop Cafe
- Canyon Meadows Cinemas
- Light Cellar
- Heritage Park Historical Village
- Shoe & Canoe Public House
- Distilled Beauty Bar & Social House
- Community Natural Foods
- Good Trade Coffee Company
- Calgary Climbing Centre
- Bragg Creek Bakery & Cafe
- The Pharm Drugstore
- Regal Cat Cafe
- 8 Cakes
- 723 World Bier Haus
- Pocket Coffee
- Kaffeeklatsch
- Odyssey Coffeehouse
- Kristi YYC
- Deane House
- 1600 World Bier Haus
- Master Chocolat
- Cacao 70
- The Cheesecake Cafe
- Paradigm Spark
- Caffe Beano
- Bono Coffee
- Milano Coffee
- Hexagon Cafe
- Oolong Tea House
- Alforno Bakery
- Canela Vegan Bakery & Cafe
- Euphoria Cafe
- brühe
- Sucre
- JusFruit Canada
- Pablo Cheese Tart Calgary
- For Goodness Bake
- Bike and Brew
- Analog Coffee
- Lina's Italian Market
- River Cafe
- Fonda Fora
- Cravings Market Restaurant
- Eighth Avenue Trattoria
- Sauce Italian Market
- Good News Coffee
- Mini MRKT
- AGGÜDO
- Boogie's Burgers
- Holy Cannoli Coffee Company
- Amato Gelato
- Seasons of Bowness
- Monogram Coffee
- Peanuts Public House
- Cafe Jindo
- Aroma Cafe Bar
- Higher Ground
- Cornerstone Music Cafe
- Neighbour Coffee
- Element Cafe
- Amaido Cafe
- Prairie Grounds Coffee House
- Yann Haute Patisserie Ltd.
- Monki Breakfast Club & Bistro
- Velvet Cafe
- Caffe Artigiano
- Hutch Cafe
- Sips Avenida and Sips at the Market
- Ollia Macarons & Tea
- Popping Dragon Tea House
- Lazy Loaf and Kettle
- Socality House
- Flower & Wolf
- Ladybug Bakery and Cafe
- Good Bread
- Made by AKB Bakeshop & Cafe
- Inner City Brewing Company
- T2722 Luxury Barista Experience
- TELUS Spark
- The Inn on Officers' Garden
- Prologue Cafe | Cocktail
- Our Daily Brett Market & Cafe
- Schwarzwälder Cherry Bomb
- Love sugar and dough
- Pixie's Candy Parlour
For more information you can visit the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest website.
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