Chocolate lovers in Lancaster County have learned to move fast. When tickets for the 14th annual Lititz Chocolate Walk went on sale on Wednesday, July 1, 2015, organizers urged fans to buy early, because recent walks had sold out well before event day.
The 2015 walk was set for Saturday, October 10. Tickets were sold online and through participating downtown merchants.
A “trick-or-treat for adults”
The Lititz Chocolate Walk is organized by the Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area, and its format is simple. Ticket holders receive a map and wander through downtown Lititz, stopping at shops that host chocolate tasting stations. At each stop, chefs, bakers and chocolatiers serve samples of their work. Organizers have long described it as a sophisticated “trick-or-treat for adults.”
Over the years, the offerings have ranged from truffles and barks to chocolate-dipped fruit, brownies, cakes, mousse and more inventive pairings. Some stops lean classic; others experiment with spices, savory ingredients or unusual textures.
Because the stations are spread across the shops of downtown, the walk also gives visitors a reason to browse local businesses they might not otherwise enter. Many guests make a full afternoon of it, stopping for coffee or lunch between tastings.
Chocolate with a Lititz pedigree
Lititz has a natural claim on a chocolate event. Wilbur Chocolate operated its factory and retail store on North Broad Street for decades and gave the town a distinctive smell on production days. In 2015, Wilbur was owned by Cargill Cocoa, which donated chocolate to participating chefs for the walk.
The event drew on that heritage while spotlighting the newer generation of chocolate makers and pastry chefs in the region.
Money for children’s charities
For all the sweets, the point of the Chocolate Walk is fundraising. Proceeds go to charities that serve children. By 2015, the Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area reported that the walk had raised more than $400,000 for children’s causes since it began.
The club’s success with the event was recognized at a Kiwanis ceremony in Washington, D.C., where representatives were honored for the walk’s ingenuity and results.
The local club marked its 20th anniversary as part of Kiwanis International in 2015, the same year Kiwanis International celebrated its 100th anniversary. Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization focused on helping children, one community at a time.
Drawing visitors from farther away
As word of the walk spread, ticket holders began arriving from well beyond Warwick School District. Organizers noted guests from other parts of Pennsylvania and neighboring states. That reach is part of why tickets became scarce: the number of tasting stations and the size of downtown put a natural cap on how many guests the event can serve comfortably.
For local merchants, the walk brings a surge of foot traffic in early fall, before the holiday shopping season begins.
Tips for walkers
Veteran walkers offered a few practical tips that still hold:
- Buy tickets as soon as sales open, since the event has a history of selling out.
- Wear comfortable shoes; the route covers several blocks of downtown.
- Bring a bag or box to carry samples, since many guests save some treats for later.
- Pace yourself and drink water between stops.
- Leave time to browse the host shops, which make the walk possible.
Checking current dates
The Lititz Chocolate Walk has continued as an annual fall tradition, with dates, ticket prices and participating businesses changing from year to year. Anyone planning to go should check the Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area’s official Chocolate Walk information for the current year’s schedule and ticket sale date, and plan to buy early.