February 4, 2014 at 2:45 p.m.
The sweetest night of the year
Taste of Chocolate returns to downtown Rhinelander
The sweetest night of the year
By Kayla Thomason-
"A lot of people, believe it or not, use it as a date night or they get a group of friends together and make it a night out for their friends," said Maggie Steffen, executive director of Downtown Rhinelander, Inc. (DRI).
To identify which 30 downtown businesses are participating in the event, look for a red heart with "Taste of Chocolate" in either a window or a door.
"We are trying to keep it simple and light, keep the focus on an enjoyable, fun evening and an opportunity to benefit our downtown businesses, whether that's because you are visiting them for the first time or finding out what they offer or taking in some of their sales and specials that they're offering for the evening," Steffen said.
Tickets are $5 and allow people to participate in the event and be entered in the Printpack Golden Ticket raffle which is $1,000 Downtown Bucks. The winner will be announced at the Hext Theatre at 8:15 p.m. The winner does not need to be present to win. Tickets will be available at the Northern Coffee Haus, Rhinelander Cafe & Pub, and Trig's in Rhinelander.
DRI started Taste of Chocolate seven years ago as a way to promote the downtown area and get people to come and enjoy it.
"It's been a good event every year, as far as I'm concerned, for attracting new customers, seeing old customers, just getting people out at that time of the year doing something. I think it is just a good event," shared Diane Dodge, owner of Diane's Frame Shoppe.
The chocolates, if they are homemade, are made in a commercial kitchen. Some of the establishments that sell alcohol will have chocolate wine or other forms of alcohol.
Bath and Body Creations - Inspired by Jan will be burning chocolate and chocolate cherry candles for the occasion. It will also have chocolates out for customers.
"I'm just excited for it. I think it will be a good night and I think everybody will be having fun and out and about and it will be good. Even if people aren't buying, it'll be a good experience to get out and talk to people and have a little chocolate," said Michele Baumgartner, owner of Bath and Body Creations.
Hext Theatre and Bucketheads will have live music.
The businesses participating are: 13 Gifts, Bath and Body Creations - Inspired by Jan, Big Daddy's, Book World, Bucketheads, Calvary Baptist Church and Headwaters Christian Youth, Carpetiers Carpet One, Coyote 93.7 FM, Danner's Shoe Store, Diane's Frame Shoppe, Dubl Digits, Frasier's Showplace Kitchens, Fun Factory Sweet Shoppe, Hext Theatre/Stage Left Cafe, House of Spirits, Imaginuity, Jake's Tattooing, Kids In Need, Knight Gallery, Latitudes, Mel's Trading Post, Northern Coffee Haus, Northland Music Center, Northwoods River News, Old School Arts & Learning Center, Rhinelander Brewing Company, Rhinelander Cafe & Pub, Trig's Cellar 70, Trig's Floral and Home, and Zion Lutheran Church.
For more information on Taste of Chocolate, call Maggie Steffen at (715) 362-7374.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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