Mark your calendar for Salem's So Sweet!

Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival features 18 ice sculptures!

Organizers Salem Main Streets, the Salem Chamber of Commerce, and local retailers, restaurants and businesses invite you to attend the 9^th annual Salem’s So Sweet, Chocolate & Ice Sculpture Festival, held on Saturday, February 5^th & Sunday, 6^th.  Over 35 downtown businesses will offer discounts and free chocolate during the weekend.  The festival officially kicks off with a scrumptious Chocolate and Wine Tasting event in Hamilton Hall February 4 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Don't miss Salem's sweetest event of the year, a decadent tradition of delectable chocolate, sparkling ice sculptures and Valentine’s Day shopping! 18 sparkling ice sculptures will grace downtown Salem and Pickering Wharf starting February 5 as part of the 9^th annual Salem’s So Sweet Chocolate and Ice Sculpture Festival.   Sculpture Themes will range from the Rapunzel, the Salem Witch, a Mermaid, a Fish, a Dragon and Champagne Glasses, and the Museum Place Mall is dedicating their Ice Sculpture to the memory of Pep Cornacchio (featuring a football).  Maps showing the locations of the ice sculptures can be picked up at participating retailers and restaurants.

For the first time this year, Salem Trolley will be offering free trolley rides around the festival route weather permitting on February 5 & 6 from 12 – 4. Pick up locations include the Salem Visitor Center, Pickering Wharf and Washington Street (near Eastern Bank).

The festival kicks off with a Chocolate and Wine Tasting, on Friday, February 4 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, at Hamilton Hall, 9 Chestnut Street.  This luscious tasting event features wine and chocolate samplings from restaurants, stores and sweet shops. The Chocolate and Wine Tasting is sponsored by the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites.  Participants include 62 Restaurant & Winebar, Adriatic Restaurant & Bar, Busa Wine & Spirits, Café Polonia, Café Valverde, Caffe Graziani, Capt.'s Waterfront Grill & Pub, Captain Dusty's Ice Cream, Coffee Time Bakeshop, Coven Artisanal Market, Finz Seafood & Grill, GreenLand Café, Gulu-Gulu Café, Maria's Sweet Somethings, Milk & Honey Green Grocer, Pamplemousse, Rockafellas, Salem Waterfront Hotel, Salem Wine Imports, Victoria Station, and Ye Olde Pepper Co.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance at the Salem Chamber of Commerce, 265 Essex Street.  

In celebration of the chocolate weekend, many of Salem’s finest restaurants will feature special chocolate offerings on their menus, including desserts, cocktails, and inventive sauces.  Participating Salem retailers will offer in-store promotions, innovative displays and items geared toward chocolate and Valentine’s Day.  Once again, Golden Tickets will be available in downtown Salem.  Pick up your Golden Ticket and have it validated at participating businesses (no purchase necessary) then enter to win a Salem's So Sweet gift basket.  The Salem's So Sweet gift basket features many fine items from area retailers.

For more information please contact Salem Main Streets / Salem Chamber of Commerce at T. 978-744-0004 or visit www.salem-chamber.org