One of the most exciting food festivals in the world is going to kick off in the southern Toledo District of Belize in May. From Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 29, 2024, the Belize Chocolate Festival will feature three whole days of celebrating this miraculous food in all its various formats. Local farmers will showcase their finest chocolates, and wines in between hosting trips to cacao farms and dancing the night away as local musicians fill the air with the sweet sounds of their indigenous heritage.
The cacao fruit, the seeds of which produce the world-famous food known as chocolate, is a local plant originally from Central America, and Belize’s Toledo District is renowned for having some of the best cacao in the world. Alongside a mind-boggling array of chocolate desserts and treats, the festival will feature other chocolate flavored products like chocolate beer, chocolate barbecue, and chocolate soap.
The town of Punta Gorda, capital of the Toledo District, will host a lively street fair during the three-day festival with plenty of live music, arts and crafts, games and activities for children, and a wide range of cultural displays from the region’s rich blend of indigenous peoples.
For chocolate lovers, there’s simply no better place to stay than the lovely Villas at Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula in the Stann Creek District. Popular because of its lovely seaside setting and close proximity to all the fun in Punta Gorda and the Toledo District, rooms are rapidly filling up.
“I thought I loved chocolate before but now I am totally in love,” said one American visitor. “This is truly the best chocolate in the world down here in Toledo District. It has a taste that’s simply sublime.”
Known around the world as a superfood, chocolate in its pure raw form is extremely high in antioxidants as well as essential minerals like copper, manganese and iron. Chocolate was considered the elixir of life by the ancient Maya and the king was reputed to have drunk up to 50 cups a day of chocolate.
Held every year since 2007, the Chocolate Festival of Belize is rapidly becoming one of the most popular events in the country. Local growers enjoy showing off their premium products while getting a chance to promote the natural beauty of Toledo District which has long been overlooked by some tourists. All workers at the fair are local volunteers eager to show off their heritage and culture while welcoming visitors to the agricultural products and unspoiled natural landscapes in Toledo District.
For more information about all of the activities and scheduled events, see the festival’s official website here or feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at:reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.
