Calgary’s freezer-February is presenting the perfect opportunity for residents and visitors to indulge in the annual YYC hot chocolate festival.  Presented by Meals-on-Wheels, the city’s sweetest (and arguably, richest!) festival gathers participating cafes, restaurants and chocolatiers to compete in crafting the best chocolate-based beverage creations that any hot chocolate lover might die for.  With more than 80 contributing locations across Calgary you will not be starved for choice.  Instead, you will likely run out of available days to sample the diverse offerings. 

☕️ When and Why?

Running for the 28 days of February you will need to consume at least two of these desserts-in-a-mug per day if you hope to get anywhere close to working your way through the menu.  The solution?  Pace yourself and plan well.  Oh, and don’t forget to budget!  Some of these offerings come at a premium, but it is for a good cause.  With a portion of the proceeds going towards Calgary’s Meals-on-Wheels, your hot chocolate “sufferings” are contributing towards a great cause. 

☕️ Where and Who?

With locations as far afield as CrossIron Mills in the north to Midnapore in the south, and from Bowness in the west to Sunridge in the east, you will need to cover some substantial mileage to hit all the locations.  Granted, some of them are part of café chains, so there’s no need to duplicate your desserts.  But, throw into the mix that some locations offer spirited options, you may want to savour these as after-dinner delicacies rather than be frowned upon for trying to enjoy them as a morning indulgence!  Here is a link to the list of 2019 contestants.

☕️ How?

Download the Apps, available for iPhone and Android, tap on the map feature, then navigate to your closest vendor immediately.  It’s so worthwhile.  The app also provides you with descriptions of the creatively-named offerings from each location.  After indulging, use the same app to vote for your decadent beverage of choice, with voting options falling into two categories: “best hot chocolate”, or “best spirited hot chocolate”.

We look forward to discovering who the winners were at the end of the month.  Vendors, good luck!  Consumers, get to drinking and voting!!

🍕 PS …

Watch out as Meals-on-Wheels turns up the heat and launches the annual YYC pizza week feeding frenzy that runs in September.