The annual YYC Hot Chocolate Fest came back for another year of warm and delicious hot cocoa. Hosted by Calgary’s Meals on Wheels, the event took place throughout the month of February, with over 100 vendors participating this year to win one of three awards: Best Hot Chocolate, Best Spirited Hot Chocolate, and The Cup that Runneth Over.
Calgarians discover and rate their favourite hot chocolates online, while also raising money for Meals on Wheels, with $1-$3 per cup put towards providing Calgarians in need with nutritious meals.
Last year’s Cup that Runneth Over winner, Hexagon Board Game Cafe, participated again this year and owner, Randy Wong, believes the competition gets better each year.
“We won last year, and we’ve been close previous years, so I don’t know, I feel like it’s very neck and neck,” Wong says.
On March 6, The YYC Hot Chocolate Fest announced Hexagon Cafe as the winner for most cups sold, with Master Chocolat winning top rated hot chocolate, and Amato Gelato taking home best spirited hot chocolate.
Konnor Weed, event coordinator at Meals on Wheels, has declared this year’s event to be a success, stating the organization projects to have $110,000 raised, which is $40,000 more than last year.
He adds the organization piloted a new summer event last year, the YYC Summer Scoop Fest, similar to the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest but with ice cream instead.
“Because of the success of Hot Chocolate Fest this year, and the popularity of it from last year, we wanted to kind of help out vendors right before Stampede,” Weed says.
According to Weed, it’s a chance for vendors to get creative and excite people for the Calgary Stampede.
“Everyone would have their creative hats on and essentially decorate something ice cream related for the week before stampede,” Weed says.
Unlike the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest, the YYC Summer Scoop Fest lasts only nine days and starts on June 30th.