Photo by Kay Koerner
This Chocolate display was very popular. It was sponsored by Farbanks Memorial Hospital.
The Ron Veliz trio provided the music for the event. Lead guitarist Ron Veliz (right) Jason Slats on Bass.
The high-class crowd peruses the chocolate booths.
A chocolate rose sits atop a dessert at the Chocolate Bash.
Chocolate at one of the booths at the chocolate bash.

Fairbanksans dressed to the nines for the annual Chocolate Bash fundraiser last Saturday at the museum. The event, which museum Communications Coordinator Kerynn Fisher called one of the “rites of spring” for Fairbanks, is a conglomeration of some of the best desserts, wines, and company from all around the community coming together to support the many great events that the Museum brings to campus.

With 450 people in attendance, the event was a hands-down delicious success. As Museum Director Aldona Jonaitis explained, the event serves as fundraiser to “support the museum endowment fund, which maintains the special exhibits, special education programs, and research projects that the museum coordinates.” Jonaitis herself actually contributes desserts to the event. This year, with her upcoming retirement, will be her last Chocolate Bash as both director and dessert-smith.

The displays from local restaurants were stunning—fountains and sculptures made entirely from chocolate. Darren Kito, representing Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, commented on their 200-pound solid mermaid. “The carving was started more than a week and a half ago, so we’ve been preparing for quite some time.”

The theme of the event was “Diamonds and Pearls and Chocolate Swirls.” Many of the vendors aimed for an under the sea theme. Kito said, “we started with some pearls and jewels and then moved into a chocolate treasure chest, and before we knew it we were carving a mermaid out of solid chocolate.”

UAF was also represented on several fronts. Tanana Valley student Sean Elmore, presenting the culinary program’s contribution to the event, said, “we made everything here from scratch, practically,” showing off the delectable skills of our student body. Bryan Miller, another UAF student, commented on the nature of the event: “It’s a great chance to show the community what we can do.”

The list of vendors brings many popular Fairbanks restaurants and businesses with their best desserts and an air of warm hospitality, including Alaska Coffee Roasting Company, the Princess Riverside Lodge, the Pump House, and many others. Odom Corporation supplied fine wine for the event.

All in all, the Museum of the North’s annual Chocolate Bash was enough fun to hold the community over for another year. Josh Bennet, a UAF student, summed up the grandeur of the event quite well, “You never hear chocolate and sub-par in the same sentence.”