Wine and Chocolate Festival - a unique festival in Slovenia

The beginning of May in Podčetrtek is marked by a wine and chocolate frenzy. Slovenia offers a range of fine and selected wines and chocolate masterpieces that go beyond everyday tastes. Last year, the desire to combine two of Slovenia''s exceptional products led to the idea and organisation of a unique wine and chocolate festival in Slovenia, which will take place for the second year in a row this year at the Multipurpose Hall in Podčetrtek.

In addition to a rich wine and chocolate offer, on 7 May there will also be a rich accompanying programme and innovations that will only raise the level of the Wine and Chocolate Festival.

Slovenia offers a range of fine and selected wines and chocolate masterpieces that go beyond everyday tastes, and it was the desire to combine two of Slovenia''s outstanding products that led to the idea and organisation of the first Wine and Chocolate Festival in Slovenia in Podčetrtek last year.

Slovenia offers a range of fine and selected wines and chocolate masterpieces that go beyond everyday tastes.

Even before organising the first festival, the organisers believed that the Wine and Chocolate Festival would breathe soul into the already touristic Podčetrtek and take it out of the everyday rush, while at the same time they believed that Podčetrtek would become a traditional crossroads of chocolate and wine, and the festival itself would become an international social event where wine and chocolate lovers would meet, have fun, learn and make new acquaintances. And that is exactly what happened last year, when the beginning of May was marked by a wine and chocolate extravaganza in Podčetrtek.

This year''s festival was even richer than last year''s

Last year''s festival was already accompanied by a rich programme of events, which the organisers will only add to this year''s festival. In addition to more exhibitors, the festival will be accompanied by tastings, children''s chocolate workshops, a cooking experience and an entertainment and music programme, including tenor Janez Lotrič and the band MI2.

In addition, this year''s festival will also feature several new activities, including a quilt exhibition, wine and chocolate painting combined in an art corner, and chocolate carving by two local artists and carvers.

The main purpose of the Wine and Chocolate Festival is not only to bring together and showcase the best winegrowers and the best chocolatiers, but also to bring together local producers and the whole surrounding area. Another novelty of this year''s festival is that visitors will be transported by tourist train throughout the day of the festival from the event venue, the Multipurpose Hall in Podčetrtek, to the Zlato vas Olimje, to the local suppliers.

You will be able to visit the Haler Brewery and Brewery and taste the chocolate beer prepared especially for this event, the Amon Homestead, Jelenov Greben, the Olimje Monastery, the Syncerus Chocolate Factory, and you will also have the opportunity to taste and buy products with vouchers from the festival itself or you can pay in cash, whichever suits you better.

In addition, this year the organisers have decided to give this superb event a lot of attention before the festival, and so, together with local caterers, they are organising a culinary wine and chocolate week a week before the festival, where you will be able to indulge in a four-course menu with a touch of wine and chocolate from selected caterers, costing just 15 euros.

The festival will also award the titles of Best Wine House and Best Chocolate Shop, as chosen by visitors. However, as the organisers, as already mentioned, are striving to link the environment, the festival itself and local producers, local specialities will also be presented. At the festival, you will be able to meet a carver, find out more about Kozjanska Park and even enjoy not only chocolate but also the delicacies of farm wives, who have a special place in the local area.

The festival will once again include the Butterflies of the Brave Heart

This year, the festival will not only be about wine and chocolate indulgences, as the organisers will once again be taking under their roof the Butterflies of the Brave Heart, as the patients with bullous epidermolysis bullosa are known, who are organised by the Debra Association. This year, the association will again run a race entitled "Walk a mile in my shoes" and the money raised from the race will go towards making the daily lives of these patients better.

Last year''s festival was accompanied by the selection of the Mayor''s wine, which will not be part of this year''s festival, as the Mayor''s wine will be selected a little earlier, and the Mayor''s wine will be presented and toasted on the day of the festival.

After the festival, the organisers will continue the action in the event tent next to the hall, where there will be excellent culinary and catering offerings, as well as entertainment by the Zadetek ensemble.

You can find out what will be happening at the Wine and Chocolate Festival, who will be presenting, what you can experience in Podčetrtek during those days and where you can stay on the website vinoincokolada.si or on the Wine and Chocolate Festival Facebook page.

Experience the wine and chocolate craze and come to Podčetrtek on 7 May for a unique festival of its kind in Slovenia. See you there :)