A themed event so sweet you can taste the success
By Matthew Kaiser
The absence of fun gatherings during a year of lockdown was especially deflating for parks and recreation staff in the city of Fairfax, Va., a small community located 20 miles west of Washington, D.C. The staff members take pride in organizing large community events throughout the year for residents and visitors, and canceling one event after another was very dispiriting.
One event that was sorely missed was the annual Chocolate Lovers Festival, held the weekend before Valentine’s Day. The festival kicks off the city’s events season with a two-day celebration of everything chocolate, and it is extremely popular. (The festival was voted the Best Food Festival by Virginia Living magazine a few years ago.) “The community knows, in the dead of winter, they have something to look forward to: chocolate,” says Cathy Salgado, parks and recreation director.
As vaccinations continue and limits on gathering sizes are lifted, now is an opportune time to brainstorm new events to engage your community. First, let’s take a look at how Fairfax’s festival came to be and what the city has learned in the nearly 30 years of hosting it.