San Francisco’s Ghirardelli Square will host the 16th Annual Chocolate Festival attracting about 40,000 visitors from the Bay Area and around the world next weekend – September 10-11, 2011.
Prominent local chefs will create chocolate inventions during cooking demonstrations, live musical entertainment, children’s activities and the popular “Earthquake” Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest. Over 30 different booths from local restaurants, bakeries and chocolate companies will provide dessert samples during the two-day event.
All proceeds from the event are donated to Project Open Hand, a non-profit organization that provides food and compassion to people living HIV/AIDS, homebound and critically ill people, as well as seniors in San Francisco. In 2010, they raised over $60,000 for Project Open Hand.
Saturday Schedule
Chef Demonstrations at the Cadillac Culinary Stage in the West Plaza
1:00 – Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company “Chocolate School“
1:45 – Stephen Sullivan, Fairmont Hotel
3:45 – Scott Broccoli, The Pub
Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contests sponsored by Ghirardelli Chocolate Co. on the Beach Street Stage
2:45 – Earthquake Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest
3:00 – Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest (5-8 year olds)
3:15 – Children’s Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest (9-12 year olds)
Live Entertainment:
12:00 – Marco Alejandro in the Plaza
12:00 – Owen Plant on the Beach Street Stage
3:30 – Battle of the Bands Presented by Paul Frank
VIP Event: 12:00-4:00 PM in the Apartment House
Live Entertainment:
12:00 – Gabriel Navia
12:00– Live Painting by Ian Ross
Sunday Schedule
Chef Demonstrations at the Cadillac Culinary Stage in the West Plaza
1:00 – Steve Genzoli, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company “Chocolate School”
1:45 – Kara Lind, Kara’s Cupcakes
3:45 – Ranjan & Sarah Dey, New Delhi Restaurant
DETAILS:
Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival
Saturday & Sunday, September 10 & 11, 2011
Ghirardelli Square and on Beach Street
Between Larkin & Polk Streets
San Francisco, CA
12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
