Sunday 2nd September 2018 - Smooth FM Chocolate Festival 2018 @ Olympic Park

I can see that I am going to give this event a low rating already. Let's see if it was worth my $23 general admission only ticket which does not include the Callaubut Test Kitchen Cooking Demonstrations VIP seats which is an additional $25 - Adriano Zumbo is again present at his stall Zumbo.

Firstly I requested priority entry as I will be blogging about the Smooth FM Chocolate Festival 2018 and was advised to submit something so it could be included under "Media". Who has time? I have over 10 events to attend. It is a simple request and it was basically a no.

Secondly poor timing - it is Fathers' Day and the forecast on Saturday may have been great ie warm and sunny but Sunday is rainy and cold. Special event trains have been cancelled for today from Central to Olympic Park and there is trackwork yet again! To add to this when it rains public transport in all forms is delayed without exceptions!. Sorry I was  just rudely interrupted by the BLOODY TICKET INSPECTORS! I have to travel an hour to Lidcombe then change and wait for the shuttle train to Olympic Park Station then walk. By the time I get there , there will be nothing left!

Thirdly - this is the first year you have to pay to get into this event as well as a change of venue ( @ Olympic Park rather then The Rocks) which outside of town and takes a good 2 hours to get to from where I live whereas previous chocolate festivals were in town and free entry. I suspect it won't be that busy on Sunday.

So here I am nowhere near Lidcombe station yet on the train. It will be 11 am before I get there. I left before 9 am this morning. No breakfast I just packed some snacks.

TBC.......

I again rudely interrupted again by those BLOODY TICKET INSPECTORS as I am about to alight at Lidcombe Station. Yes Finally however it is now another transfer onto a train to Olympic Park Station. These trains don't depart very often so if you miss one it is  a long wait for another. It is a bit of a walk from the arrival platform to platform # 0 to board the Olympic Station train.

Yep should be there just before 11 am. Now 11 am still unimpressed.

First stop was scan ticket but before I even presented my ticket to be scanned I was pulled over by security for a backpack search. Then it took about 10 attempts to scan my electronic ticket to even go through the gates.

First lot of photos of inside The Dome - it is virtually empty except for the tents of stall holders selling their food and drink products.

This is inside The Dome which includes The Callebaut Test Kitchen with VIP and grand stand seating.

Next stop a few more photos of Hall 5 Kids Zone and next to it the Chocolatiers Quarters in Hall 6. Again almost empty although the Kids Zone fared much better with parents and their kids enjoying Fathers' Day and an early performance of Paw Patrol.

Inside hall 5 the kids zone there were performances on centre stage and extra paid activities such as cooking classes with Elmo and Cookie Monster as well as a few merchandise and show bag stalls.

Next a view of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory car display complete with smoke, sounds and bubbles.

Willy Woka & The Chocolate Factory Car & Ferris Wheel

Next a free ride on the ferris wheel. It doesn't go very high but I still got some good aerial photos.

Next a look at the Kids Zone then through to the Chocolatiers Quarters before sampling some free Baci chocolates in white milk dark and freshly made ones . Fresh is so much better! First purchase of the morning 2 boxes of dark Bacis for $20. Bargain but no mixed boxes available or milk therefore purchased 2 boxes of dark.

Sample, purchases and new stall holders

Just in time for the Callebaut Sydney Royal Chocolate Show Judging before heading off to see the Callebaut Test Kitchen at 11.45 am. More photos of chocolate sculptures complete and on display as well as works in progress. We were told to return at 3 pm to see the completed results.

Inside The Dome it is still pretty empty. Seated in the centre lot of grandstand seats ( ie the free ones where I am sitting) the Test Kitchen is more then half empty and it getting close to 11.45 am. The paid seats are only 1/3 full as well but I am sure there will be late comers that fill the seats with goodie bags on them. Ok filling up now. Worth getting there early for but not worth the additional $25 for  VIP sets as Reynold (KOI Dessert  Bar & from Masterchef) is cooking.

Next onto Hall 5 & 6 for more photos and tastings. Back to see how the chocolate sculptures are progressing by 12.30 pm & my second purchase of the day from Choux Patisserie ( refee Fine Food Australia & Bastille Day blogs previously) 1 x (Oh no  they have changed the menu agin to match the seasonal fruits) of blueberry,  lemon aspen and hibiscus eclair for $8 an eclair - th owner was trying to persuade me to buy 4 of them - no thanks I can make my own in my own time with what seems to be a very similar recipe to my 4 ingredients cheese cake recipe.

I think I have nearly had enough. Almost time to go home - not interested in the outdoor cinema - too wet and cold outside.

Outside in the Cathy Freeman Park was an outdoor cinema, alcohol garden and food trucks. Do people actually go to the chocolate festival for the chocolate or is this just another festival that people come for just for the food and wine? There seemed to be just as many people outside enjoying the not so great weather then indoors enjoying the chocolate! (photo taken in the few minutes when the sun was out and it was not so wet)

No sign of the free Lindt chocolates the orgnisers kept hounding on about and no Smooth celebrities either. Maybe they are outside in the Cathy Freeman Park or near the Smooth FM stage.

Rating  6/10 - leaving by 2 pm after after viewing what was happening at the Cathy Freeman Park. Crowds numbers had grown but not to the point where there were long queues. I think I have seen everything. Same same every festival not many new stall holders. No Lindt Lounge in sight - only 1 or 2 Lindt balls ere given out near the entrance exit gates however free bottles of barista ice coffee in a bottle were given out after exiting the gates of the chocolate festival.