Long Grove Chocolate Fest features longer hours, bigger name bands

Long Grove will get its first test of adding nighttime entertainment to its major festivals at this weekend's Chocolate Fest.

The village has booked bigger name musical acts for evening performances to bolster the festivals. Sixteen Candles is performing at 8 p.m. Saturday and American English at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The festival will continue to offer chocolate treats galore, along with its more traditional family entertainment and kids games during the day. The chocolate treats include custom-brewed chocolate beer from the local Finch's Beer Company.

Among other chocolate items are old-fashioned chocolates and penny candy at Ma & Pa's Candy, chocolate-scented candles and chocolate mint tea bags at Potpourri Chocolate, themed T-shirts with rhinestone embellishments at Lucy & Ethel's, hot chocolate and frozen hot chocolate from Beans & Leaves Coffee & Tea Café, chocolate martinis at Enzo & Lucia Italian Restaurant and chocolate-flavored drinks and menu items at Village Tavern and Long Grove Café. And of course, there will be chocolate-dipped strawberries and cider doughnuts.

The "Taste of Long Grove" booth will feature items from the town's restaurants. And with 5 for 5 Chocolate Tasting Tickets, visitors can sample five different tastings from 11 participating businesses for $5.