Indulge in artisanal chocolates and learn about cacao at the Morton Arboretum

On Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, visit the Morton Arboretum in Lisle for a Chocolate Weekend celebrating all things chocolate. Sample an array of chocolate confections and unique items with a chocolate twist made by local artisans and chocolatiers — from baked goods and toffee to fudge and chocolate sauce. Pick up a Valentine’s Day gift, find the perfect party favor, or simply treat yourself during this decadent annual event!

The expo will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Visitor Center, 4100 Route 53. This event is included with Arboretum general admission; $16.95 for age 18 to 64 or $10.95 for age 4 to 17 or age 65 or older.

Artisan vendors will offer small-batch chocolate, baked goods, vegan treats, and other handmade creations. Note: participating vendors are subject to change up until the event date.

• Barcacaochocolat: Sustainable, boutique artisan chocolates

• Candy Shenanigans: Freeze-dried candy and fruit

• Chocolate Inspirations: Handmade small-batch chocolate, toffee, and vegan chocolate

• Doña Pancha Chocolate: Handcrafted, women‑owned Guatemalan chocolate

• Flat Bottom Pretzels: Edible art and gourmet creations

• Full Circle Cheese: Women-owned artisan cheeses and catering

• Gindo’s Spice of Life: Woman-owned, award-winning fresh pepper hot sauces

• GrownUp KidStuff: Soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and corn-free chocolate sauces

• Impossibly GlutenFree: Decadent, fresh-baked gluten free cookies

• Jeanine Bakes: Handcrafted macarons made with premium almond flour

• Just-A-Taste Confections: Homemade chocolate confections

• Katherine Anne Confections: Handmade truffles, caramels, and marshmallows

• Le Chocolat du Bouchard: Custom bakery creations

• Legacy Fudge: Family-owned gourmet fudge

• Lucila’s Alfajores: Authentic Argentinian alfajores, soft sandwich cookies with dulce de leche filling

• Mamie’s Toffee & Treats: Handmade old-fashioned toffee and treats

• North Central College Enactus Coffee Lab: Direct-trade coffee beans

• Prairie Macarons: Gluten-free macarons with dairy-free options

• PremOla Granola: Low-sugar, low-carb, gluten-free granola blends featuring nuts

• River Forest Chocolates: Artisan chocolates, toffee, caramel, and candy

• Salty Provisions: Harvested Norwegian sea salt and handcrafted spice mixes

• Soapy Roads of Lombard: Small batch, rustic hot process method soap

• SugaRRR & Spots: Handmade custom cakes, cookies, and pastries

• Sweet Street Candies: Classic candy and treats

• Wild Blossom Meadery: Sustainably-produced wine and mead

Chocolate Weekend Member Event

At the Chocolate Weekend Member Event from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 30, Arboretum members can sample artisanal confections from local chocolatiers and other vendors before the expo opens to the public. Cost is $25.

It is open to age 16 or older. Those age 21 or older will receive a specialty hot chocolate with Baileys, hot white chocolate with Nocino, a glass of wine, or a beer.

The Ginkgo Restaurant and Café will be closed during the member event. A charcuterie box will be available for pre-purchase.

Learn About the World of Chocolate

Attend presentations by chocolatiers and cacao experts throughout the expo weekend to get an in-depth look at the making of chocolate.

Learn about the history of chocolate-making through the ages, learn how rare cacao beans around the world are grown and sourced, and see how chocolate artisans are adopting more sustainable and equitable practices in cacao cultivation. This program is included with Arboretum general admission.

• Holistic Sustainability in Cacao: Agroforestry and Artisanal Chocolate at 11 a.m. Saturday

A 30-minute presentation focused on the sustainable practices behind Chocolate Doña Pancha, an Indigenous-owned and operated chocolate shop in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Offered in partnership with North Central College, this program will look at the intersection of cacao agroforestry, cultural preservation, and artisanal chocolate production — and the ways in which local communities are intertwining ancient traditions with modern sustainability practices. A 15-minute Q&A discussion will follow the presentation.

Instructors: Matthew Krystal, PhD, professor of anthropology and associate chair, Coffee Lab Advisory Board, North Central College; César Geovanni Quijivix Morales, director of design, Doña Pancha Chocolate

• The History, Mystery, and Health Benefits of Chocolate at 1 p.m. Saturday

Discover the fascinating journey of chocolate, from its origins in the cacao bean to the indulgent finished truffle. In this interactive, one-hour program with Cathy Bouchard, founder of Le Chocolat du Bouchard, learn how cacao is grown, harvested, and transformed into the rich dark chocolate we love today. Participants will explore the known benefits of dark chocolate and sample raw cacao and different chocolate types, gaining a new appreciation for this complex ingredient. The experience culminates with a decadent tasting of a hand-finished truffle, celebrating chocolate’s full evolution from bean to bar and beyond. Chocolate samples are included in the cost of the program.

• Chocolate as an Ancestral Practice at 11 a.m. Sunday

Discover the deep cultural roots of chocolate in Mesoamerica, beginning with its earliest appearance among the Olmec around 1500 BCE. Offered through North Central College, this program explores how the classic-era Maya (200-900 CE) wove cacao into their art, economy, healing practices, mythology, and ritual life.

Contemporary K’iche’ Maya chocolatiers Mirna Rojas de Quijivix and César Quijivix Morales will trace the path of cacao from antiquity to today, with a special focus on the traditional practices that resisted Spanish appropriation through seven centuries. Participants will gain a richer understanding of chocolate as a living, ancestral practice. A 15-minute Q&A discussion will follow the presentation.

• Rare Cocoa Beans from Around the World at 1 p.m.

Taste artisan chocolate bars made from some of the world’s most exclusive — and elusive — beans. Learn about the taste profiles and growing locations of rare cacao varieties like the prized Porcelana bean, genetically pure Nacional beans found only in a remote region of South America, Criollo beans from world-famous growers, and several newly-discovered strains of cacao.

During this presentation by Cocoa + Co. founder Kim Hack, participants will enjoy bite-sized chocolate tastings while learning about why chocolatiers go to incredible lengths to secure these rare beans. Chocolate tastings are included in the cost of this program.

• Adventures in Chocolate at 2:30 p.m.

Chocolate is a versatile partner for unusual flavors, from porcini mushrooms and peppercorns to ginger and gin. Small-batch chocolatiers are experimenting with flavor combinations inspired by both history and new culinary trends, always looking for ways to bring out cacao’s complex characteristics.

Cocoa + Co. founder Kim Hack will show why these new and novel flavor pairings work. Chocolate tastings are included in the cost of this program.