Los Angeles Chocolate Salon and Festival 2026

If your idea of a good Sunday is eating chocolate for five and a half hours straight, the Los Angeles Chocolate Salon and Festival is your day. It lands at the Pasadena Center on Sunday, October 4, 2026, running 10 AM to 3:30 PM, and it's one of the sweeter entries on the 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 LA edition has been going for years. The pitch is simple. You walk the floor, you taste, you talk to the people who actually made what you're eating.

Who shows up

The organizers curate the vendor list, so it's not a free-for-all of grocery-store brands. Past participants have included Amano Artisan Chocolate, Letterpress Chocolate (a bean-to-bar maker based right here in LA), Codinha Chocolate, Venecacao Chocolateria, Mignon Chocolate and Phillip Ashley Chocolates. It isn't all bars and truffles, either. Toffee makers, candy companies like P.O.P. Candy Co. and 3D Candies, and a few drink vendors have set up tables too, including a wine producer and a seltzer brand for when your palate needs a reset.

The 2026 lineup hasn't been fully posted, so treat those names as a sense of the range rather than a promise.

What your ticket covers

Salon entry includes all the chocolate tastings and demonstrations. That's the main draw. There are also chef talks through the day, and TasteTV's Chocolate Television program films interviews on site, so don't be surprised to see a camera crew parked by a truffle display.

A few tips from people who've done food shows like this before. Go early, when the tables are fully stocked and the aisles are easier to move through. Bring water. Pace yourself on the dark stuff, since a 70% bar at 10:15 AM hits differently than you'd expect. And bring a tote bag, because most vendors sell full-size product, and you will want some of it later.

Practical info

• When: Sunday, October 4, 2026, 10 AM to 3:30 PM
• Where: Pasadena Center, 300 E Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101
• Tickets: $14.12 to $24.62 on Eventbrite, depending on the ticket type
• Refunds: allowed up to 7 days before the event

The Pasadena Center sits a short walk from Old Pasadena and the Playhouse Village, so you can easily turn this into a full afternoon with lunch nearby (something savory, ideally). If you're driving, there's structured parking around the convention center. The Metro A Line's Memorial Park station is also within walking distance, which spares you the parking hunt entirely.

If you're lining up LA events this weekend and want something low-key that works for a date, a friend group or a kid with a sweet tooth, this is an easy pick. Browse more festivals around the city, or check our Los Angeles page for more Things Happening In Los Angeles. Grab tickets through the event page ahead of time, since online sales close the morning of the event.