"Founded in 2009, the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest brings together 150 purveyors of incredible chocolates, coffees, candies, teas, gourmet foods, and wine and beer. While not sampling and shopping from these unique businesses, attendees enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations, coffee seminars, baking contests, and a Kids Zone with free activities and live cow milking demonstrations," the official website says.

"By creating an affordable and accessible environment, the event now attracts over 20,000 chocoholics and coffee aficionados, making it the largest chocolate and coffee consumer festival in the country. The event has grown to include purveyors of all types of gourmet foods and proudly presents craft cheeses, artisan breads and baked goods, and unique sauces and dips.

"Over the years the festival has been featured in some national publications.The mission of the festival is two-fold: 1) support the development and prosperity of small culinary businesses; 2) educate consumers of the farm-to-festival lifeline of both chocolate and coffee. Interested in event demographics and details, please view our Sponsor Deck: Click here for a detailed overview of the festival."

"Founded in 2009, the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest brings together 150 purveyors of incredible chocolates, coffees, candies, teas, gourmet foods, and wine and beer," the New Mexico Nomad says.

"While not sampling and shopping from these unique businesses, attendees enjoy live music, cooking demonstrations, coffee seminars, baking contests, and a Kids Zone with free activities and live cow milking demonstrations.

"By creating an affordable and accessible environment, the event now attracts over 20,000 chocoholics and coffee aficionados, making it the largest chocolate and coffee consumer festival in the country. The event has grown to include purveyors of all types of gourmet foods and proudly presents craft cheeses, artisan breads and baked goods, and unique sauces and dips.

"For everyone’s health and comfort, the festival now occupies over 90,000 square feet of outdoor areas in addition to an indoor marketplace for chocolates and other delicacies sensitive to the New Mexico heat."

"Established in 2009, the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest is one of the world’s largest festivals dedicated to chocolate, coffee, and gourmet foods," the Los Foodies Magazine says.

"We are proud to host over 150 chocolatiers, coffee roasters, bakers, candy makers, purveyors of gourmet foods, coffee trucks, food trucks, and New Mexico’s finest breweries, wineries, and distilleries. In 2021 we moved much of the Festival outdoors, creating the world’s first chocolate and coffee block party.

"The largest and most delicious food festival in the Southwest returns to Expo NM with over 150 of the finest chocolatiers, coffee roasters, candy makers, bakers, breweries, wineries, and gourmet food companies.

Indulge all your senses with coffee and culinary presentations, classes, and demos hosted by some of the best in the world. Live music, a kids area, and numerous dining areas allow you to savor divine chocolates and sip on world class coffees, beer, wine, and cocktails."

"It takes months of planning to get the Southwest Chocolate & Coffee Fest off the ground. Dean Strober and his team at Blue River Productions work together to bring the festival to Albuquerque," the Albuquerque Journal says.



"The last couple of years proved difficult for Strober as he navigated the pandemic. He moved the festival outdoors and is now utilizing more indoor space at Expo New Mexico. There will be space for more than a dozen classes for festival-goers to attend.

""The big area of growth is on the programming side," he says. "We've gone from one culinary stage to five culinary areas. There's a dedicated area for children with Explora! There's also a whole stage dedicated to coffee. There's a lot this year that people haven't experience. This is the biggest coffee and chocolate festival."

"Imagine New Mexican food and some fiery flavors come to mind: green chile, red chile, and all the combinations one can create with just those two ingredients. But did you know New Mexico just happens to be home to the largest coffee and chocolate consumer festival in the country?" the Only In Your State says.

"The festival began in 2010 as a way to support local chocolatiers and other small culinary businesses. Since then, it has grown into the largest coffee and chocolate consumer festival in the U.S., bringing tens of thousands of attendees into Albuquerque. While here, you'll be able to sample and purchase chocolate in all its forms: as bars, pastries, candies, drinks, and more.

"Aside from the mounds of chocolatey treats available at the festival, attendees will also have the opportunity to sample and purchase some incredible coffee, as well as watch some fabulous coffee competitions. Events include a chance for baristas to demonstrate their very best latte art, a beverage competition, an opportunity to try the world's five most expensive coffees, and learning about the process of creating coffee."