The city of Belém (PA) is the stage for another edition of Chocolat Amazônia, considered the biggest chocolate event in Latin America. The fair starts this Thursday (23) and continues until next Sunday (26), at the Hangar Centro de Convenções e Feiras da Amazônia.
The free program is expected to attract around 100,000 visitors. The edition marks the 10th anniversary of the festival in , highlighting the strength of the cocoa production chain in the state, responsible for a large part of national production.
The event also values regional cuisine and the potential of .
Among the highlights of the program are the Cocoa Forum, with six panels and 18 lectures focused on topics such as sustainability, innovation and the future of Brazilian cocoa farming, in addition to the traditional gastronomic fair, which brings together the exhibition, tasting and sale of chocolates of cocoa origin and derivatives.
Another space available to the public will be the Kitchen Show, which will feature national and international chefs preparing live recipes, exploring the use of cocoa in both sweet and savory dishes.
Names such as Pará chef Angela Sicilia, pastry chef Tábata Romero, Argentinian Mariana Corbetta and Frenchman Lionel Ortega are confirmed, who promises to combine European gastronomic techniques with Brazilian ingredients.
The fair will also feature sensory experiences, a children’s space and ChocoDay, with conversation circles and themed lectures.
In numbers, the event should bring together more than 300 rural producers, family farmers and entrepreneurs from Pará, who will present products such as cocoa nibs, butter and honey, as well as combinations with regional ingredients such as Brazil nuts and cupuaçu.
According to the organization, the expectation is to generate around R$15 million in business during the four days, surpassing the previous edition.
In addition to the main program, the festival will host Flor Pará, an initiative that promotes Amazonian biodiversity through the exhibition of native and exotic plants, courses and sales.
After the edition in Belém, the event will move on to other cities in Brazil, such as Altamira, in the interior of Pará, and in the Northeast region, in Salvador and Brasília. In addition to abroad, in Portugal.
