In mid-October, the region of Umbria, the Green Heart of Italy, will turn a bit brown—but in a good way, especially if you’re a chocolate lover.
The 15th annual Eurochocolate festival, one of Europe’s most important chocolate expositions, will be held in the central Italian city of Perugia from 18-26 October. And if you think Eurochocolate just about walking around and eating chocolate, well, that’s a big part of it (and really, how bad would that be?), but it’s certainly not the whole story.
This year’s theme is Play Chocolate, which invites participants to discover their playful sides through chocolate; indeed, many of this year’s activities are directed toward children. A chocolate paper airplane will be the symbol of the event, taking us adults back to childhood and our days of making fun, simple creations.
In addition to having the opportunity to sample all different kinds of chocolate and chocolate products, there are also plenty of other chocolate-related events and exhibits to hold your interest. Chocolate sculptures, seminars, banquets, and even cooking classes line the streets of Perugia.
One of the most interesting presentations will be of Dolce Attesa, a new chocolate product infused with folic acid for pregnant women, at a conference called “Chocolate, Women, and Pregnancy” on 19-20 October.
And while you’re there, you might even run into a marching band more reminiscent of a New Orleans festival than a typical Italian one, as shown in this group of videos that offer a taste of Eurochocolate:
Find more information at the Eurochocolate website, and if you read Italian, at Tutto Umbria.
