It’s hot-chocolate o’clock in Calgary again as one of our tastiest food festivals returns this month.
Put on by the Calgary Meals on Wheels charity every February, the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest is the biggest community fundraiser for this charity.
Meals on Wheels is known for sending nutritious meals to seniors but it is so much more. Meals on Wheels makes as many as 5,000 meals a day at their 16,000-square-foot facility in order to help as many vulnerable Calgarians as possible. In 2022 they served over 650,000 students in need of a good meal. Last year was the fundraiser’s biggest year to date, with over 98 kinds of hot chocolate served. For each drink sold as part of the festival, $1 to $3 goes to Calgary Meals on Wheels, and with more than 70,000 cups of hot chocolate sold during the 2023 event, over $120,000 was raised for the organization. This money allows Meals on Wheels to fund their programs and keep prices as low as possible for those in need.
More than 120 locations are participating in YYC Hot Chocolate Fest this year and they participate not only to help raise much-needed funds, but also to walk away with the honour of being selected as the winner. Chosen by votes on the YYC Hot Chocolate app, available for iPhone and Android, last year’s winners were Master Chocolat, Hexagon Cafe and Amato Gelato.
A few new locations this year include the Little Chief Restaurant at the Grey Eagle Casino (serving the Tsuutina Sage Tlikonituwa), Bridge15 (serving the Kermit’s Go To) and Choklat (serving the John Wick).
The festival runs until the end of the month. You can find participating locations by visiting yychotchocolate.com/contestants or downloading the app.
