Vancouver hot chocolate festival heats up amid frosty temperatures

In the midst of a cold weather blast, chocoholics all over Greater Vancouver will be sipping a sigh of relief.

The 14th annual Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival kicked off Saturday in an effort to brighten up the damp, grey days of a west coast winter.

More than 162 hot chocolates are being featured at 105 locations in more than 10 municipalities.

Since 2011, the city-wide initiative has been bringing chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes and ice cream shops together to create crazy, drinkable, chocolate concoctions.

The festival also raises money for local charities, such as the Fresh to Families Program and Growing Chefs.

Some vendors this year will even be donating a portion of their festival proceeds to charities they feel close to. For example, Cassandra Cake Co. will give a portion of its earnings to Amanda Todd Legacy Foundation.

Twelve new vendors have joined the festival this year, which will run until Valentine’s Day on Feb. 14.

Winners of the festival’s Instagram contest for vendor gift certificates will also be announced on Valentine’s Day.

A virtual map and full list of flavours can be found on the festival’s website.