Hunter Valley Chocolate Festival

Wine country gets chock full of fun this July

First published on 12 Apr 2012. Updated on 9 Jul 2012.

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Dark and rich or milky smooth – who doesn’t love chocolate? That’s why, for two days, the Hunter Valley Gardens will transform into a chocoholic’s paradise. Over the weekend of July 7-8 the Gardens will host world-class chocolatiers, award-winning pastry chefs, and chocolate lovers from all around.

The festival kicks off with the Chocolate Show Piece Competition, where big names like Adriano Zumbo and World Chocolate Masters judge Dean Gibson show off their finesse.

Then head over to the main stage in the lakeside amphitheatre to get insider tips from Ed Halmagyi, aka Fast Ed from Better Homes and Gardens. Why not stop by the Chocolate Pavilion? There you’ll find chocolate boutiques, the perfect place to pick up some more decadent treats.

If you prefer pastries, check out the Live Patisserie. Get a first hand look at how intricate tarts and fluffy breads are made. Take a break and relax at the Wine and Beer Hub. Sit back with a glass of Hunter Valley wine and, of course, more sugary sweets. Send the kids off to the Formal Garden: there they can build snowmen, ice skate, and make snow angels at Snow Time in the Garden.

End the weekend with the Chocolate Gateaux Competition. Watch as Australia’s top chocolatiers battle it out to win a chance to study at the prestigious Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium.

Words by Aimee Ortiz |

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