Nova’s Smooth Festival of Chocolate returns for fourth year

Nova Entertainment’s Smooth Festival of Chocolate in the Rocks is set to return for its fourth year.

The announcement:

The smooth Festival of Chocolate in the Rocks returns to Sydney for the fourth consecutive year for a weekend of decadence on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 August.

Held in the harbourside location of The Rocks, some of Australia’s most talented pastry chefs, chocolatiers and ice creameries will showcase their signature chocolate and desserts. The event will also feature live demonstrations, unique chocolate sculptures and desserts and beverages created exclusively for the festival.

Luke Minto, NOVA Entertainment’s Sydney General Manager said, “In 2016 the smooth Festival of Chocolate attracted over 120,000 people and this year will be even bigger and better. We are delighted to have long term partners Lindt, Callebaut and Knebel Kitchens return, joining some exciting new partners in Piazza D’oro, Mr Black Espresso, Endeavour Beer and Baci Perugina. Not only is the event a great experience for festival attendees but is also an important brand extension and partnership opportunity for smoothfm.”

Due to the sheer popularity of the event, George Street The Rocks will be closed to traffic, allowing festival attendees to roam freely to enjoy more features, a move made possible due to the longstanding sponsorship ofProperty NSW. Major sponsor Lindt and Sprugli will once again present The Lindt Lounge featuring Australian Master Chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler.

Nicholas Brock, Lindt Marketing Director said, “After the success of 2016, Lindt is excited for the return of The Lindt Lounge as part of the smooth Festival of Chocolate in 2017. The festival provides an amazing opportunity to celebrate and share our passion for chocolate with the chocolate lovers of Australia. Festival goers will be able to purchase their own personalised milk or dark chocolate Excellence blocks as a sweet momento of their visit toThe Lindt Lounge, or indulge with our new Lindt signature Waffles on a Stick.

“Lindt is looking forward to delighting consumers with our premium chocolates, as part of Sydney’s biggest celebration of desserts and chocolate.”

The Mr Black Espresso Martini Bar will be a crowd pleaser with “Espresso Jar-tinis” topped with Nutie donuts on offer while Endeavour Beer will brew a chocolate ale especially for the festival.

Returning for the fourth year, Callebaut and Knebel Kitchens will present the Callebaut Test Kitchen, featuring live demonstrations from the country’s best dessert chefs including

Australia’s Queen of Chocolate Kirsten Tibballs, the highly lauded Jean Michel Raynaud of La Renaissance Patisserie, The Rocks and Daria Nechiporenko, the Australian representative for the World Chocolate Masters 2018.

With the world’s most beautiful harbour in the background, the Chocolatiers’ Quarters will feature chocolate master Dean Gibson returning to create a 180 kilo moving chocolate sculpture “Bone Shaker” – a world first for Callebaut and TAFE NSW.

Located inside the Cargo Hall of the Overseas Passenger Terminal, the Chocolatiers’ Quarters, sponsored by Baci Perugina, will house artisan chocolatiers showcasing their finest products.

Sydney Props Specialists will partner with the festival for the first time, taking over a laneway in The Rocks to create an ode to the history of chocolate, while highly acclaimed chocolatier, Jodie Van Der Velden from Josophan’s Fine Chocolate, will create a jungle entirely of chocolate.

The smooth Festival of Chocolate in the Rocks will feature over 100 exhibitors including Gelato Messina, Black Star Pastry, The Original Chocowrap, Rocco’s Dessert Jars, and for the first time, guests can even buy Donuts for their beloved pooch.

Source: Nova