What You Need to Know: Chocolate World Expo 2014

Looking for something sweet to do this weekend? Look no further, because The Maritime Aquarium is about to be submerged in chocolate! In a scene fit for Willy Wonka himself, The Chocolate World Expo is taking over the Aquarium on Sunday, Jan. 26 and will feature 30+ regional vendors.

Visitors can expect a spectrum of sweet and savory treats, from chocolate covered bacon to baked goods to fine and gourmet cheese.

Here’s everything you need to know this weekend:

•  Purchase tickets online here. Holders of advance printed tickets wait in a separate line.

• We will offer discounted admission for the Chocolate World Expo: $15 adults, $10 children ages 3-12. **Note to Aquarium Members** Members receive a $2 per person discount (adult and child) on event/Aquarium admission this day. Senior member price is same as adult price. Sorry, but Aquarium members do not receive free admission for this special event. Member guest discounts do not apply.

• Document your day! Share your photos and videos from the Chocolate World Expo with our official hashtag #TMAchocolate. We’ll be following along all day!

• Getting here: The Maritime Aquarium is located at 10 North Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854. Some GPS devices and computer map programs point to the IMAX® Theater entrance to our facility. The parking garage and Main Entrance are one block north near the intersection of Ann and North Water streets. For detailed directions, click here.

• Parking: A City of Norwalk garage is located directly across from the Aquarium on North Water Street between Ann and Marshall streets and offers. For more information on rates and payment options, click here.

• If the garage fills, there are other parking facilities within one block of the Aquarium: North Water Street Lot, located at 1 North Water St., (directly outside our IMAX theater entrance), near to that is the Haviland Parking Deck, (a half-block walk on Washington St. from the IMAX entrance) and the Webster Surface Lot, located at 50 Washington St., a one-block walk on Ann St. to our main entrance. Click here for a map, directions and rates

• We will extend our hours on Sunday for the Expo. We will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to accommodate your sweet tooth. Last year the largest crowds were in the middle of the day. The IMAX entrance usually has a shorter line.

• Our new “Jiggle a Jelly” touch exhibit will be open Saturday, but NOT Sunday, due to the Chocolate World Expo. All other exhibits will be open. Anyone who wishes to jiggle a jelly this weekend should plan to visit this Saturday, Jan. 25. We will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click herefor more details on our schedule for “Jiggle a Jelly.

• Mentalist Marc Salem will present five 40-minute shows of his “Chocolate Mind Games” in our IMAX® theater. Space is limited to 300 visitors per show, which is first-come, first-served. We expect a full house on Sunday, so we recommend you line up at least 15 minutes ahead of time to secure a seat. Showtimes are at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.  Regular daily IMAX movies will not show on Sunday.

• Chef demonstrations by celebrity Chef Barret Beyer of “Hell’s Kitchen fame and Executive Chef Larry Rosenberg of Bacon Bites will be held in the Hinnant Room classroom on the third floor of the Aquarium. Take the elevator next to our “Go Fish” exhibit to the third floor. Catch Chef Beyer at noon, 2, 4 and 6 p.m. Get your chocolate fix with Chef Rosenberg at 1, 3, and 5 p.m. Again, line up early to secure your spot.
• For photos from last year’s event: click here.
• For more information on the expo, including a list of vendors, go to www.chocolateworldexpo.com.

A few reminders to our visitors:

• Tickets to the Chocolate World Expo are non-refundable. Ticket prices include all taxes/fees, as applicable.
• Special “bonus” features, including chef demos and a performance by mentalist Marc Salem, are offered to attendees on a first-come, first-served “space available” basis due to limited seating, and, therefore, we cannot guarantee that everyone will be accommodated. These special features are not included in any purchase price and limited capacity will be adhered to.
• ALLERGY WARNING: Many vendors offer products that contain common food allergens such as wheat, soy, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, etc., or are manufactured in facilities with these products. If you have food allergies, we suggest you consult with your healthcare provider before attending Chocolate World Expo.

Check back in with us for more updates and peeks behind the scenes! In the meantime, you can stay up to date with us from every corner of the web. You’ll find us happily posting, pinning and tweeting away on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+ and Tumblr.