Thousands all set for chocolate festival
ARAMMY Rocksthemed Easter egg hunt is one of the new attractions at the ever-popular Ramsbot- tom Chocolate Festival.
Organisers have promised something for everyone at this weekend’s 10th annual festival, with thousands expected to flock to the celebration of all things chocolate.
Markets staff, who coor- dinate the two-day event, have this year incorporated the town’s painted rockhunting craze. Rocks will be hidden all over the town, some of which, if found, can be exchanged for an Easter egg.
Organiser Terri Fletcher explained: “The people who founded Rammy Rocks will be there on both days. They will be having a stall where they show people what they do and how they paint them.
“People will be able to get their own Rammy rock. We have also had some lovely rocks painted, one for each letter of Chocolate Festival, and there will be an Easter egg hunt around the town.”
Following on from last year, the event will be spread over the wider town centre area. The 2016 festival was blessed by beautiful weather leading to some complaints of overcrowding after tens of thousands of people flooded Bridge Street, and so the layout was changed.
Stalls will be not only on the original site of Bridge Street but also at Market Place, inside the Civic Hall, Bridge Street, Church Gardens and on the Saturday market car parks. Terri added: “We spread the event out and everybody agreed that the layout worked much better. There’s so much in Ramsbottom now in terms of bars and independent shops. It encourages people to walk around the town centre.”
A wide range of traders - both new and regulars - is promised offering tempting treats from traditional
‘We have had some lovely rocks painted, one for each letter of Chocolate Festival’
chocolate bars through to the Ice Alchemists, who roll chocolate and ice cream on an ice pad right in front of the customer. There will also be hot street food with gourmet burgers, noodles, Yorkshire pudding wraps, plus a gin truck, prosecco wagon and hot chocolate liqueurs. Entertainment will include Lancashire Hawks and Owls, the Dog’s Trust and the RSPB.
The outdoor festival will open at 9.30am and closes at 5pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday.
The Civic Hall’s indoor food and craft market will run from 9.30am to 2.30pm. The East Lancashire Railway will be in action so visitors can hop aboard a steam train or go and take a look at them on the bridge or platform.