Back for the first time since 2020, Craft Chocolate Experience: San Francisco is a three-day festival bringing together bean-to-bar makers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs, industry experts and cocoa producers from more than 20 countries to the iconic Palace of Fine Arts from April 26-28.
The weekend event will include a marketplace with world-class artisans, stages featuring the leading voices in craft chocolate, interactive activations and pairing and tasting opportunities. Lively discussions on stage will amplify the voices of some of the most renowned pastry chefs and chocolatiers in the world. Four separate stages will host a variety of panel discussions, pairing sessions and demos, covering topics such as The State of Craft Chocolate, The World’s Best Panettone, Bringing Contemporary Pastry to Mexico City, Craft Chocolate in Thailand, Behind The Scenes at Dandelion Chocolate, Chocolate Mole demos, Global Chocolate and Wine Pairings and much more.
A lineup of over 70 chocolate artisans from around the world will come together at the Chocolate Marketplace, and will feature many international chocolate makers whose creations are not readily available in the United States. Beyond incredible bars, the marketplace will also showcase truffles, baked goods, curated cocktails and hot chocolate.
In addition to engaging panels and the global chocolate marketplace, guests can also enjoy a wide variety of fun activations and interactive experiences, tasting their way through a hot chocolate activation, witnessing the world’s largest s’more being made and striking a pose in front of the Cacao Pod Wall.
The weekend kicks off on Friday April 26 with an industry-only trade expo from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm ($25 for industry professionals) followed by a pairing and tasting event from 7 to 10:00 pm ($75; 21 years and older only) that will guide guests through a tasting of global craft chocolates expertly paired with a delicious array of bites and drinks, including tea, spirits and sake. Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 will welcome guests to experience the Craft Chocolate Marketplace, panel discussions, educational demos, interactive activations and more.
One-Day General Admission is $50 for Saturday, April 27 and $40 for Sunday, April 28. A full weekend general admission pass is $150. Tickets can be purchased and more information on the festival can be found at Craft Chocolate Experience's website.
