NORMAN — The Firehouse Art Center’s 30th Annual Chocolate Festival was a near sell-out. The money raised Saturday will benefit art education at the Firehouse.
“Awesome,” said Loise, Kamryn and Doris Johnson, first year attendees at the festival.
The Johnsons said they will return to the festival and remarked on the good organization and the special area for kids crafts as highlights — in addition to the chocolate, of course.
“The new venue was stunning,” Firehouse Director Douglas Shaw Elder said. “We heard hundreds of compliments about the facility and the organization of this year’s festival.”
Marla Martins attends every year. She and twin daughters Helena and Isabel thoroughly enjoyed the festival this year.
“This was our favorite,” she said. “Last year was awful with all the snow.”
Weather wasn’t the only problem last year, the space was crowded. This year, the event was held east of town at the National Center for Employee Development on Highway 9 . Gatekeepers reported the event had just four tickets left at closing time.
“Everybody loved it,” said Karen Offolter, a volunteer.
“It’s very exciting,” volunteer Laura Patterson said. “Everyone has been so positive, and they love the venue.”
That sentiment was echoed by everyone from attendees to vendors to volunteers. The crowd was diverse and included families, senior citizens and university students.
“It was incredible how many community members, as well as people from the surrounding towns and even as far away as Houston, came out to support the visual arts,” Elder said. “The generous restaurants that make the most incredible chocolate delights in Oklahoma and support us by their participation enable us to draw greater attention to our arts education programs.”
Bradley Adame and Elissa Arterburn were attending for the first time and loved it. These University of Oklahoma students said they enjoy the variety of cultural activities they have found available in Norman and the Chocolate Festival has been one of Norman’s best.
“We like new experiences, so we figured we’d try it,” said Arterburn.
Every year the restaurants’ cooks and pastry chefs go all out to produce new delights and old favorites.
The Diner brought it’s chocolate chili again — an annual favorite.
“We’ve been bringing it here at the Chocolate festival for many years,” said Claire Amspacher. “It’s savory, not sweet. It’s like a mole.”
La Baguette has supported the event since 1985. Legends has been with the event for the entirety of it’s 30 year history.
Patty and Johnny Jazzar of La Baguette said pastry chef Rudy Khovri creates something special for the event every year.
Joe and Rebecca Sparks of Legends are long time supporters of the Firehouse and enjoy their participation in the annual festival.
“It’s fun,” said Rebbecca Sparks. “We really believe in the mission of the Firehouse.”
“All proceeds from the fundraiser support the children’s art programs both at the Firehouse and in our outreach programs,” Elder said.
Lashanda Allison said this is her first year at the festival and she’ll return.
“It’s absolutely great,” she said. She said the diversity of the people and the chocolate offerings are a big plus and the children’s craft activities help create a positive “hub of energy.”
Elder said moving the fundraiser to the NCED provided a more spacious setting for the same number of vendors as in previous years. The larger space also provided the ability to integrate the children’s art area as the focal point of the Festival.
“We do not have all of the ticket sales totaled, but it looks like we came very close to our goal,” Elder said. “I’ve always felt that if our chocolate/ art supporters are pleased, then we can say it was a great event. By that measure, the event was triumphant.”
Joy Hampton 366-3539 jhampton@ normantranscript.com
