By Duncan Atkins

Copyright thescarboroughnews

From a chocolate-themed shopping trail to screenings of the Willy Wonka movies, plus master demonstrations, the event which runs from November 14 to 28 aims to share and showcase what’s best about the Whitby community. Organiser Pam Boland said the festival came about while trying to think of a money-spinner for the Whitby Defibrillator Project which she’s also involved with – there are 40 defibrillators around town. Speaking to the Whitby Gazette over a hot chocolate (of course!) at Pannett Park’s Flock Cafe, she said: “We needed a big event to bring in some money, not just quiz nights and tombolas. “Each defibrillator needs batteries every four years at a cost of £165 each and we will never allow any to go faulty. “I was thinking hot chocolate (as an idea) and started going around looking for different contestants. “There was one little girl who makes amazing brownies and thought we don’t have to just make it about hot chocolate, we can make it into a festival. “I was encouraged to get in touch with Whitby Town Council – and I was asked to pitch the idea in front of them. “I got so much support from them and the idea of it becoming something bigger. “It gave me the armour and confidence to speak to business managers and ask how far we can go with this festival.” Pam met up with an events organiser who put in a word to North Yorkshire Council about grant funding – this has allowed her to pay for a website designer and photographer for the festival website, as well as hire rooms for events, meaning a lot of the events are free. With the event growing, she is confident that further businesses will come on board. WHITBY HOT CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL EVENTS Friday November 14 Whitby Pavilion, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), 7pm Saturday November 15 Whitby Pavilion, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), 2pm Sunday November 16 Whitby Pavilion, Wonka (2023), 5pm Whitby YHA cafe bar, Chocolate therapies, health and wellness, 2pm to 5pm Introduction to therapists in Whitby Tuesday November 18 Pot and Pineapple, Whitby, Chocolate tasting with master chocolatier, 7pm Saturday November 22 Eighteen91, Whitby (formerly Chapel on the Hill), family fun event including hoopla, chocolate moulding, tombola etc, 2pm to 5pm. You can also visit the Whitby Hot Chocolate Festival website to see the event’s shopping trail. Use the map to plan your own route and take yourself on a chocolatey adventure around independent Whitby businesses. Other events include chocolate tasting sessions, an introduction to cacao ceremonies with Daniel O’Connor from Whitby Wellness and a guide to the health benefits of hot chocolate with Liz Cooper, a nutritional therapist. The festival also features opportunities to join free CPR and defibrillator training and gain skills that could help save lives A quiz night – the Generation Game of Games – in the style of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, The Generation Game and Shooting Stars is also in the pipeline.