Viva Choco Vegas theme will carry event through holiday weekend
By Tracy Ouellette
Staff Writer
The game is on this year at Burlington’s annual ChocolateFest celebration. With the theme of “Viva Choco Vegas! the sweetest festival in the area promises to be chock full of fun.
As in year’s past, the Burlington Rotary Club will present the carnival from North American Midway Entertainment.
The carnival opens on Thursday, May 23, at 5 p.m. and is open during festival hours through Memorial Day, May 27. One-day carnival ride bands can be purchased for $30 at the gate.
The festival also opens in a limited capacity on Thursday with a free-admission day that includes a main stage performance by Cherry Pie at 7 p.m.
The regular run of the festival begins Friday evening and continues until Monday evening. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children 5 to 12.
The highlight of the festival is the Chocolate Experience tent, which features chocolate-themed contests, demonstrations, carvings and vendors.
The festival also features the Jaycees Arts and Crafts fair in Echo Park on May 25 and 26, the 12th annual co-ed softball tournament, helicopter rides and the annual Veterans Memorial Day Parade, which steps off at 9 a.m. on May 27. The parade is immediately followed by the traditional Memorial Day observances in Echo Park.
The annual fireworks display was in question for a while, but thanks to the generosity of Community State Bank and Mangold Insurance, the ChocolateFest Fireworks are scheduled for 9 p.m. Friday, May 24.
New this year is the Cantina Stage, which will host entertainment and music acts all weekend long, including hypnotist Chris Jones, Dirty Canteen, Exit Plan, Generation Z and more.
Additionally, the festival has multiple family friendly activities from a petting zoo to RC car racing, Kidbuck$ Game Show, Grandpa Cratchet performance, Touch-A-Truck and a NASCAR exhibit.
ChocolateFest 2019 Schedule
Thursday, May 23
- 5 p.m. Carnival opens, no gate admission
- 7:30 p.m. Wiil Rock presents Cherry Pie, Main Stage; beer tent open
Friday, May 24
- 4 p.m. Festival and carnival open
- 4 to 9 p.m. Chocolate Experience Tent open
- 4 p.m., Crittle Hill Grass, Cantina Stage
- 5 p.m. Local performers, Wanasek Stage
- 5 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 6 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 6 p.m., Granpa Cratchet, Family Land
- 7 p.m. Kid Buck Game Show, Family Land
- 7 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 7:30 p.m. Dirty Canteen, Cantina Stage
- 8 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 7:30 p.m. Clean Pioneer, Wanasek Stage
- 8:30 p.m. Bella Cain, Main Stage
Saturday, May 25
- 10 a.m. Festival and carnival open
- 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Chocolate Experience Tent open
- 1:30 p.m., Chris Jones, Wanasek Stage
- 10 a.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 11 a.m. Giant Choc Jenga, Chocolate Tent
- Noon Kids Cookies Decorating, Chocolate Tent
- Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., Granpa Cratchet, Family Land
- 1 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 1 p.m., 4, p.m., 7 p.m. Kid Buck Game Show, Family Land
- 2 p.m. Squad 51, Main Stage
- 2 p.m. Chocolate eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 3 p.m. Cupcake Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 3:30 p.m. Failure to Launch, Wanasek Stage
- 2 p.m., Felfra, Cantina Stage
- 4 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 5 p.m. Choco Minute to Win it Adult, Chocolate Tent
- 5:30 p.m. Day Rollers, Main Stage
- 5:30 p.m., Chris Jones, Cantina Stage
- 6 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 7 p.m. Chocolate Mixology, Chocolate Tent
- 7:30 p.m. Exit Plan, Cantina Stage
- 7:30 p.m. Petty Kings – Tom Petty Tribute, Wanasek Stage
- 8 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 8:30 p.m. Almighty Vinyl, Main Stage
Sunday, May 26
- 9:30 a.m. Chocoholic 5K/10K, Riverside Park and Seven Waters Trail, www.chocoholic.5k.run
- 10 a.m. Festival and carnival open
- 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Chocolate Experience Tent open
- 10 a.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 11 a.m. Kids Cupcake Decorating, Chocolate Tent
- Noon Cupcake Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- Noon Gravity of Youth, Main Stage
- Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., Granpa Cratchet, Family Land
- Noon, Mariachi, Cantina Stage
- 1 p.m., 4, p.m., 7 p.m. Kid Buck Game Show, Family Land
- 1:20 p.m., Miss Latina Racine County, Cantina Stage
- 2 p.m. Mad Bark, Main Stage
- 2 p.m., Wax Lips, Cantina Stage
- 2 p.m. Choco-Minute to Win it Kids, Chocolate Tent
- 3 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 3:30 p.m. 76 Juliet, Wanasek Stage
- 3:30 p.m., Old Wolves, Cantina Stage
- 4 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 5 p.m. Chef Demonstration, Chocolate Tent
- 5:30 p.m. Astro Blues Band, Main Stage
- 5:30 p.m., Chris Jones, Cantina Stage
- 6 p.m. Project Yum-way, Chocolate Tent
- 7 p.m. Kids Sundae Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 7 p.m. Altered Five Blues Band, Wanasek Stage
- 7:30 p.m. Generation Z, Cantina Stage
- 7:30 p.m., Category X, Café North
- 8 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
- 8:30 p.m. Lunchmoney Bullies, Main Stage
- 10 p.m., Chris Jones
Monday, May 27
- 9 a.m. Veterans Memorial Day Parade, downtown Burlington
- 10:30 a.m. Memorial Day observances, Echo Park
- 11 a.m. Festival opens
- 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Chocolate Experience Tent open
- 11 a.m. Kids Cookie Decorating, Chocolate Tent
- Noon Chris Jones, Chocolate Tent
- Noon to 7 p.m. Carnival open
- Noon The Britins, Main Stage
- Noon to 6 p.m. Taylor and Jamie, Cantina Stage
- Noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., Granpa Cratchet, Family Land
- 1 p.m., 4, p.m., 7 p.m. Kid Buck Game Show, Family Land
- 1:30 p.m. Kayla Seeber, Cantina Stage
- 1:40 p.m., Terry Murphy, Cantina Stage
- 3 p.m. Jeff Walski, Wanasek Stage
- 3 p.m., DEP, Cantina Stage
- 3:30 p.m. PF and The Flatheads, Main Stage
- 4 p.m. Kids Cookie Decorating, Chocolate Tent
- 4:30 p.m., The Dawleys, Cantina Stage
- 5 p.m. Chocolate Eating Contest, Chocolate Tent
Special events
Fireworks
Friday, May 24, 9 p.m., sponsored by Community State Bank and Mangold Insurance.
Chocoholic 5K run
Sunday, May 26, 9:30 a.m.
Riverside Park and Seven Waters Trail
www.chocoholic.5k.run
Jaycees Arts & Crafts
Saturday and Sunday, May 25 and 26, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Helicopter rides
(weather permitting)
Chocolate Sculpting Competition
Friday through Sunday, May 24 to 26
Veteran’s Memorial Day Parade
Monday, May 27, 9 a.m. through downtown Burlington. Followed by Memorial Service at 10:30 a.m. in Echo Park
-
-
-
-
-