Los Angeles Chocolate Festival 2026 in Pasadena

If your idea of a good Sunday involves eating more chocolate than is strictly reasonable, the Los Angeles Chocolate Festival has you covered. The annual Los Angeles Chocolate Salon & Festival takes over the Pasadena Center on Sunday, October 4, 2026, and it's one of the sweeter entries on any list of things to do in Los Angeles this fall.

The event is run by the International Chocolate Salon, the same outfit behind chocolate shows in other cities, and the pitch is simple. You pay once at the door (or online), then you work your way through booths of chocolatiers and confectioners, tasting as you go.

Who shows up

The organizers curate the vendor lineup themselves, so this isn't a free-for-all of grocery-aisle candy. Past salons have brought in small-batch makers like Amano Artisan Chocolate, Letterpress Chocolate (a bean-to-bar shop that started right here in LA), Mignon Chocolate, Phillip Ashley Chocolates, Codinha Chocolate and Venecacao Chocolateria. You'll also usually find toffee, truffles and novelty sweets from places like Truffles N Toffee, 3D Candies and P.O.P. Candy Co.

It's not all chocolate, either. Past lineups have included wine from PRP Wine and sparkling water from Polar Seltzer, which you'll want after your fifth sample of dark ganache. The 2026 exhibitor list may look different, so treat those names as a sense of the range rather than a promise.

What to expect inside

Salon entry covers all the chocolate tastings plus the demos, so there's no per-sample charge once you're in. Beyond the booths, the schedule includes chocolate demonstrations and chef talks. TasteTV's Chocolate Television program films interviews on the floor throughout the day, so don't be surprised if a camera crew asks what you just ate.

Pace yourself. Five and a half hours sounds like plenty of time until you realize every table wants you to try three flavors. A bottle of water and a light breakfast go a long way. If you're shopping for holiday gifts early, bring a tote: most vendors sell bars and boxes to take home, and that's where the real damage to your wallet happens.

Practical info

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 10 AM to 3:30 PM
• Where: Pasadena Center, 300 E Green Street, Pasadena
• Tickets: $14.12 to $24.62 on Eventbrite, depending on ticket tier
• Refunds: available up to 7 days before the event

The Pasadena Center sits in Pasadena's Civic Center area, a block south of Colorado Boulevard. If you'd rather skip parking, the Metro A Line's Memorial Park station is under a mile away. Driving works too, with public garages around the convention center, but expect weekend rates.

This one's easy to pair with brunch or a stroll through Old Pasadena afterward, once your sugar crash kicks in. For more upcoming events Los Angeles has on the calendar, browse our festivals listings or see what else is going on across Los Angeles. And if you're planning a Sunday around it, check our roundup of Things Happening In Los Angeles before you commit to just one sweet stop.