Harvard Square Chocolate Festival

Harvard Square was packed this afternoon with a multitude of chocolate lovers mulling about and sampling desserts from Cambridge businesses such as J.P. Licks and Bertucci's Italian Restaurant. A few hundred individuals also participated in the Harvard Square Treasure Hunt, which took treasure-seekers to Harvard Square stores to answer questions such as "What band and candy, made in Cambridge, share the same name?"

The reason? The Harvard Square Business Association is sponsoring the second annual Chocolate Festival, which began last night with an event titled "Dining in the Dark" at Nubar. The festival continues through the end of Sunday. Approximately 12-15 businesses are participating, offering chocolate-themed meals, hosting chocolate tastings, and selling discounted chocolate products.

If the appeal of chocolate isn't enough, festival-goers can feel good about indulging, as the proceeds generated by sales will be donated to the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

"Every single one of them is getting a kiss," said event organizer Matt R. Frank. He gazed out at festival attendees from across the Square, holding out a bag of Hershey's chocolate to passersby.

While all of the weekend's prix fixe chocolate dining experiences are sold out, there are still spots available on the Chocolate Tour tomorrow, a delicious event you definitely don't want to miss!