On the Hunt for Ghirardelli Chocolate

Join us on an exciting hunt through Ghirardelli Square and discover fun facts about San Francisco's premium chocolate company, Ghirardelli Chocolate! Discover the 160 years of rich, chocolate-y history that only Ghirardelli Chocolate can boast.

Use a QR (Quick Response) scanner on your smart phone to get clues and lead you to your next location. You will be solving the riddles on the actual grounds of the old Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival.

When all the clues have been solved, hunters will win a sweet treat and a prize to take home!

What a delicious way to see where it all began.

Ice Cream Eating Contest

A Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival Tradition! Festival attendees compete or just witness the hilarity as six lucky people in three different age categories try to eat the famous Ghirardelli "Earthquake" Sundae as fast as they can without hands. Battling each other and their own stomachs, competitors are sure to make this experience a memorable (and delicious) one. Children also compete with a smaller version of the famous Earthquake Sundae. There are three competitions on both Saturday and Sunday.

Ghirardelli's The Earthquake Sundae is a real family favorite with eight scoops of ice cream, eight delicious toppings, fresh bananas, whipped cream, chopped almonds, decadent chocolate chips, and cherries.

Chocolate School

Come join Ghirardelli's own Head of Chocolate Making, Steve Genzoli, as he teaches "Chocolate School" and takes audience members through a tour of the delicious chocolate making process. Learn every step a bean takes to become that mouth watering chocolate bar.

Ghirardelli Chocolate remains San Francisco's premium chocolate company, and their chocolate making process is no different. We select only the highest quality beans, roast them using an unique process to lock in the intense taste, refine for ultimate velvety smoothness, and conch for the most sophisticated flavors.

Chef Demonstrations

Come out and watch local culinary professionals work their delicious magic! Three demonstrations on both Saturday and Sunday will help guide you through the mind of a chef. See how chocolate can be incorporated into pastries, snacks, and possibly even alcoholic drinks! Take a break from all that chocolate tasting to sit and relax at the Culinary Stage in Ghirardelli Square's West Plaza.