By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
While all the people coming to Burlington may be excited about chocolate, the people who organize ChocolateFest are equally excited about Friday’s 30th anniversary opening.
Among the special guests in attendance will be State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, Rep. Samantha Kerkman and State Sen. Van Wanggaard, as well as many of the people who started the festival 30 years ago.
The ribbon cutting to officially open the festival will be Friday at 4 p.m. in the Chocolate Experience tent on the cooking stage. Organizers also hope to have long-time supporters Jack Berry, Nan and Bob Branen, and Mae Boeger – the long-time face of Nestlé – at the event.
Bill Stone, the director of sponsorships and the executive committee for ChocolateFest, said earlier this week that the long-lasting festival has exceeded expectations.
“We hoped it would, but we never thought it would,” Stone said. “Most festivals run the course over 15 years or so.
“I think it’s a real tribute to the community,” he added. “A great bunch of volunteers.”
The festival is a major fundraiser for many of the area’s non-profit organizations that provide the volunteer workforce for the festival. In recent years ChocolateFest has generated nearly $100,000 annually for these groups, who, in turn, pour the money back into a variety of community programs and services.
But it all started years ago – back when there was even a battle over which community should be known as “Chocolate City USA.” A legal battle ensued between Hershey Co. and Nestle over the right to the name, which Nestle eventually won.
Eric Erickson, a local musician/songwriter who runs the weekly open mic event at The Coffee House at Chestnut and Pine, ended up writing the song “Chocolate City Man” over the controversy.
“Jack Berry called me up one day and said, ‘We need a song,’” Erickson said. “I did a little diddy and sent it to Jack and he said, ‘That’s the song we’re looking for.’”
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