Chocolate lovers, take note: tickets for the 14th annual Lititz Chocolate Walk went on sale Wednesday, July 1, 2015. Because tickets are limited and the event had sold out in advance in recent years, serious fans were urged to buy early.
A trick-or-treat for adults
Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area and often described as a sophisticated “trick-or-treat for adults,” the walk was set for Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015. All money raised supports charities for children.
Ticket holders stroll among downtown Lititz shops whose owners host confectionary stops featuring chefs and local chocolatiers. As word of the treats has spread, the event has drawn guests from farther away each year.
Cargill Cocoa, then owner of Wilbur Chocolate, donated chocolate to each participating chef.
Charity first
While the walk is a boon to local businesses, its focus is fundraising. Representatives of the Lititz Kiwanis Club were recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., for the success and creativity of the event, which had raised more than $400,000 for children’s charities.
The Kiwanis Club of Lititz Area celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2015 as part of Kiwanis International, a worldwide organization devoted to improving the lives of children one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis International marked its 100th anniversary that same year.
Tickets
Online tickets cost $32.50. Buyers paying cash or check in person received a $2.50 discount at participating locations, including:
- Wilbur Chocolate Company, Lititz
- McElroy Pharmacy, downtown Lititz
- Lititz Public Library
- Schreiber Pediatric Center, Lancaster
- Lititz Framing and Art
- Think Silk, Lititz
- Cherry Acres, Lititz
- Blue Ridge Communications, Ephrata
- Aaron’s Books, Lititz
- Manheim Township Library
- Danner’s Deli, Lititz
- Anstine’s Candy in York and Red Lion
For information on the walk, sponsorships or membership, the club operated a Chocolate Walk hotline at 717-560-2295.
Why Lititz?
Lititz has been tied to chocolate for well over a century. Wilbur Chocolate began making its famous Wilbur Buds in Philadelphia in the late 1800s and moved its manufacturing to Lititz, where the scent of chocolate drifted over North Broad Street for decades. Its candy store and museum became a fixture for visitors. Cargill acquired Wilbur in the 1990s and continued production in town until the factory closed in 2016.
The Chocolate Walk grew out of that heritage.
Planning a visit
The walk is self-paced, so guests can take their time browsing downtown Main Street and Broad Street. Many make a day of it with lunch or dinner at a local restaurant. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, as stops are spread across the downtown.
Tips for walkers
- Buy tickets as soon as sales open. The walk regularly sells out.
- Wear comfortable shoes. The route covers much of downtown and includes dozens of stops.
- Bring a bag. Many stops hand out treats to take home.
- Pace yourself and drink water between stops.
- Arrive early to find parking, since downtown fills quickly on walk day.
Why the walk endures
The Chocolate Walk combines two things Lititz is known for: a lively downtown full of independent shops, and a long chocolate-making heritage. For participating businesses, the walk brings thousands of potential customers through their doors in a single day. For walkers, it is a chance to discover shops they may not have visited before.
A fundraiser at heart
Behind the treats is a serious purpose. Ticket sales support children’s charities in Lancaster County, and the volunteers who organize the walk spend months recruiting shops, chocolatiers and bakers. Many of the treats are donated, which allows more of each ticket to go to the charities.
This article was originally published in June 2015.