Tickets to the Event
Choose from VIP tickets to couples, from hotel rooms to farm tours and more. The Big Island Chocolate Festival welcomes you home for connection, fun, learning and memories. We are hosted at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 69-275 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI 96738.
Ticket Options for April 23-25, 2026
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Offsite Farm Cacao Tour
9-10am Guided Cacao Plantation Tour & Chocolate Sampling
Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, Keauhou-Kona
Does chocolate grow on trees? Find out from Hawai‘i’s first homegrown chocolate company located in the Kona coffee belt on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Taste the chocolate.
Enter a cacao orchard to see how teeny flowers and colorful cacao pods grow up and down the trunks and branches of trees. Learn about harvesting, fermentation and how cocoa beans are kissed by the sun before they are processed during exact steps to create dark or milk chocolate.
Friday, April 24, 2026
Friday Festivities at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 69-275 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI
Student Competition: 9am to 3pm
College Competition - FREE to attend - Think Master Chef for Culinary Students
Friday Speaker Series
Join us for Farm Seminars & Speakers:
11:00am to 12:00pm: “The Ins & Outs of Small-scale Cacao Processing for Micro-Farms" by Raven Hanna, PhD. Unlock the secrets of "nano-batch" fermentation w proven, hands-on methods for crafting exceptional chocolate straight from your backyard cacao trees.
12:15-1:15pm: "Post-Harvest Cacao Processing" with Nat Bletter, PhD. This valuable presentation will focus on the necessary steps and importance of proper tree-to-bean cacao harvesting, fermentation, drying and storage.
1:30-2:15pm: "Nematode Biocontrol Against Queensland Longhorn Beetle" with Emma Stierhoff. Discover highly effective, research-backed nematode treatments to combat this destructive pest and protect Hawaiʻi's vital agricultural trees.
2:30-4:15pm: "The Importance of Properly Tempering Chocolate" with Stéphane Tréand, M.O.F. Patisserie. Join World Pastry Champion Stéphane for an expert demonstration on why mastering the art of tempering chocolate is an essential skill for cacao growers.
Saturday Tastings & Gala
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Saturday Festivities at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, 69-275 Waikōloa Beach Dr, Waikoloa Village, HI
Tasting Demonstrations 10am - 3pm
10-11:30am: "Talk Title TBD" with Chef Ashish Thalakkat of The Four Seasons Resort Maui, Executive Pastry Chef
11:45-1:15pm: “How to Make THE Best Bonbons” by Pastry Chef Helen Hong of the Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection.
1:30pm - 3:00pm: “Creating an Artistic Chocolate Showpiece” by world pastry champion Chef Stéphane Tréand, MOF Pâtissier Chocolatier. Don't miss this live construction of a Chocolate Showpiece, which is artistically displayed at the festival.
Saturday Gala 5:30pm to 9pm (5pm entry for VIP ONLY)
Reserved Tables are available - upon request within the VIP area - Tables for 2025 are currently sold out. Individual tickets remain.
Open seating available outside for General Admission tickets.
VIP Ticket: Reserved Seating, Limited indoor seating with a 3 pairing and tasting exclusive to this area ONLY (cannot be removed from the area to eat); Private bar with mocktail option. Doors open for VIP at 5pm. Priority Access. Unlimited Wine & Beer and speciality pairings. Soda, Tea & Coffee are also
Saturday All Day Pass: Tasting Demos & Gala 5:30pm to 9pm
This ticket includes the Tasting Demonstrations Saturday from 9:30am to 2:30pm and then the Gala Ticket.
General Admission: Access to the 15-16 Chef Booths, no reserved seating. Open seating outside, first come - first serve.
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