Sweet support
Norman Chocolate Festival to mark 36 years, raise funds for education
Norman Chocolate Festival to mark 36 years, raise funds for education.
The Norman Chocolate Festival returns for its 36th year on Saturday, with a bounty of chocolate delights, ranging from chocolate fudge mousse cake to chocolate salsa, provided from a variety of area confectioners.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Norman North High School, 1809 Stubbeman Ave.
New this year, the Norman PTA Council is organizing the event in an effort to preserve the community tradition and raise funds for public education. Firehouse Art Center in Norman previously hosted the event.
“The Norman PTA Council likes to do at least one big event a year. When Firehouse announced it was discontinuing it, we thought doing the festival would be a good fit for us,” said Annette Price, Norman PTA Council president. “It’s a big part of who we are as a town. It was important to us to try to save that.”
Festivalgoers can expect to sample an assortment of chocolate creations from fudge mousse cake from Amy Cakes to the unexpected like The Diner’s chocolate chili. Loveworks, a youth leadership organization that sells its student-made fresh salsa locally, will debut its original chocolate salsa at the festival. International Student Exchange of Oklahoma will share Oreo chocolate balls made by students from
Germany.
Cool treats such as Eskimo Sno’s chocolate shaved ice and red velvet yogurt from EarthFruits Yogurt also will be available.
Chocoholics will enjoy live music from student groups like Norman North’s Chamber Choir, String Quartet and Jazz Band, with acoustic group John the Franklin joining in, as well. Nexus Productions Inc. will be donating its mobile disc jockey services and opening up its photo booth free to guests.
Partners in education
Another new addition is a nonprofit gallery where festivalgoers can participate in family-fun activities from some of Norman’s other vital partners in education.
“The Norman Chocolate
Festival is a true community event, and there are so many other organizations that help build up children and families in Norman that we are truly thankful for. We want to spotlight some of them that work hard to provide educational, nutritional and leadership supports that make Norman an incredible place to live,” Price said.
Oklahoma PTA will feature an interactive hot cocoa bar and raffle.
The Firehouse Art Center will be bringing back a perennial favorite, foil sculpting, and Cleveland County Habitat for Humanity will be bringing birdhouses for children to paint.
Moore Norman Technology Center will be giving away gift certificates for its adult cooking classes, and Pioneer Library System will be educating the public with its mobile maker space featuring a 3-D printer.
Norman Public Schools Foundation will be selling its new picture book, “Good Night Norman,” illustrated by Norman art teachers, and the Junior League of Norman will be selling its cookbooks, featuring favorites from local celebrities and restaurants.
“We’ve received tremendous support from the community for this event where individuals, couples and families can indulge in the sweetest delights the area has to offer while at the same time making connections with local businesses and nonprofits that support our kids,” Price said.
The Norman PTA Council is a consortium of Parent Teacher Associations representing 20
schools in the Norman Public Schools district and has nearly 4,000 members. The PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
Price said the council hopes to use proceeds to help schools that draw a lower level of funding than other schools do.
“Equity is an issue from school to school. We’d like to bring some balance to that,” she said. “Norman has always been deeply committed to education, and in a climate of state budget shortfalls, our PTAs are playing an even more important role by filling resource gaps where they can, supporting our hardworking teachers with classroom supplies, and increasing the effectiveness of instruction through targeted community and family engagement. Funds raised through the Chocolate Festival will heighten the effectiveness of all PTAs across Norman.”