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Chocolate Festival in Bariloche See map

Since 1969, the Chocolate Festival means the maximum holding of all chocolatiers. It falls in the month of July during the high season.

In the event there are multiple activities related to making and tasting of chocolate. These include the race of chocolatiers, confectioners, bakers and confectioners with typical dressing that must travel hundreds of meters of Mitre street without spilling the liquid chocolate they carry in their containers; the presentation of the world's largest chocolate fondue designed for 5,000 guests; the chocolate sculpture competition and the artisanal chocolate cakes competition.

Since the first edition of the Chocolate Festival was followed by every year within the framework of the Snow Festival. The event consist in selecting a queen among candidates representing different student tour companies operating in Bariloche. The chosen queen is weighed on a balance and she gets her weight in chocolate, in addition to the crown and scepter made in this exquisite material. And of course, the chocolatiers take the opportunity to invite the chocolate products to all attendees.

The only year that there was no party was in 1999 due to the serious problems that crossed the municipality at that time. And when everything indicated that the party had disappeared, the Bariloche Chamber of Commerce took up the issue not just to retrieve a key to the chocolate party but also to definitely install Bariloche like the city of chocolate.

The first party

The organization of the first Chocolate Festival coincided with the arrival of man on the moon, July 20, 1969. Ailin Benroth remembers that he was listening to the news before leaving for the party. The chocolatiers at that time were Aldo Fenoglio, Benito Cecco, Don Pepone, Don Sexto Edil and Oswald. It was organized in the Volunteer Fire Department, a queen was elected and the prize was his weight in chocolate as they continued doing in after-parties. 

"I remember -said Ailín Benroth- that Fire had tables and there were stands with students. Since we opened the factory there were always students, but overall it was another level of people that came to Bariloche. That night, as my husband is an artisan he had made crowns, necklaces and even a chocolate chest where my daughter took off their ornaments to bring them to queens."