From 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 11, Upper Alton Baptist Church held their annual “all you can eat” chocolate experience. The event costed $7 and for kids ages five and under it was free. 

Every year, the festival is held on the Sunday before Valentine’s Day. Event-goers were welcomed to fill their plate as many times as their stomach could handle, or people were also offered to just take a to-go box home instead. 

Chocolates of all kinds were featured from classic chocolate chip cookies to unconventional chocolate dipped bacon. All was offered to eager guests. Fan favorites such as a hot chocolate bar, chocolate covered strawberries, brownies and chocolate cakes were present at the function. 

The church also held a raffle with a few items that included some baked goods, gift cards to local coffee shops and handmade wreaths from church members. The wreaths were featured on the wall for all guests to see in the church hallway. 

“The chocolate festival started in 1998 as a way to raise money for the bell choir and the bell choir did it until mid 2015. So then the church took it over,” Craig Cash said, who has been a part of the church’s congregation for over 30 years and is on the executive ministry team. His wife, Tammy Cash, is also heavily involved in the set up of the chocolate festival and manages the kitchen staff to ensure the table is always filled with sweet treats. 

The festival has always functioned as a fundraiser for money. However, it originally started in an effort to raise money for carolers. In recent years though, the reason for raising money has changed, but still works to benefit those in the community. “So it has always been a mission fundraiser. We contribute to local missions from time-to-time. We are now doing a fundraiser for the church’s preschool,” said Cash. The church’s preschool has been around since the 1980s and the fundraiser will help to be able to run the school at a lower cost for families.