Valentine Pro/Am Chocolate Festival
The Auction and Bidding Process
The Chocolate Festival evening features two auctions: a Silent Auction and Live Auction. Bid numbers are needed for both and you are encouraged to obtain a bid number at the Bid Registration Table when you arrive.
The Silent Auction occurs first and takes place during the public tasting. All dessert entries are available for tasting and People's Choice voting, however, the desserts entered by professional chefs are not available for Silent Auction bidding; they are only sold during the Live Auction. A Silent Auction Bid Card will be located near each dessert, with a minimum bid of $25 noted. As you are sampling the various desserts you can ponder which ones to bid on and, once you make a bid, don't forget to check back frequently to be sure that you don't get out-bid on your favorite! At 8:00 p.m., when the People's Choice voting time is closed, we will pull the award winners from the Silent Auction area and move them to the stage for the Live Auction. The remaining Silent Auction desserts will be moved to the Auction Pick-Up Area where the bidding will continue. The Silent Auction will close approximately 30 minutes after the Live Auction begins; closing of the Silent Auction will be announced by the auctioneer. Results of the Silent Auction will be posted in the lobby approximately 30 minutes after the end of the Silent Auction. They will not be verbally announced. All desserts and other auctioned items will be held in the Auction Pick-Up Area until they are paid for and claimed by the lucky donor.
The Live Auction begins after the announcement of the Award Winners. The top three judges choices in each category (cakes, cookies, brownies, chocolates, Potpourri, Teen and Parent/Child), all professional entries and the People's Choice winners will be offered during the live auction (and maybe a few others that strike our fancy - you never know!). We hope that with the shift to a dual auctioning system we can maintain a festive, frenzied aura (and generous bidding) while allowing everyone to get home by 10:00 p.m. Non-Dessert Auction Items
Over the years, the Chocolate Festival has been fortunate to have a variety of exciting non-dessert items donated by local citizens, businesses and service providers. These donations are offered during the Live Auction. Non-dessert donations change from year to year. Some examples of past non-dessert auction items have included:
- Gourmet Thai Dinner for Eight
- A night at a Yurt, with gourmet backpack dinner, from Powder Ridge Ski Touring
- Spa packages including massage, pedicure, manicure, hair styling and yoga classes
- “A Hot Date” including dinner and flower certificates from local restaurants and floral designers
- Spanish wine tasting and tapas party
- Gourmet Indian dinner
Raffle
Edwards Furniture will donate another fabulous piece of furniture for a raffle during the Chocolate Festival. The winner will be picked toward the end of the evening. If ticket holders write their names and phone numbers on the tickets they do not need to be present to win. If the ticket pulled does not have contact information or the owner is not present we will pick another ticket until we have a winner. Raffle tickets will sell for $1 each or 6 for $5 at the Festival.