The Chocolate Bar Offers Sugary Goodness For All

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust welcomed a packed house of guests to their second-annual fundraising event, The Chocolate Bar, a celebration of desserts, candies, dancing, and fashion.

Hundreds of people funneled into the Benedum Center for an extremely decadent experience, as they were offered various dessert stations, hand-spun milkshakes, a chocolate painting area courtesy of A519, live music, and Willy Wonka-esque outfits. Garnishing the stairwells, The Staycee Pearl Dance Project and The Chocolate Girls grooved to music provided by DJ SMI.

It was a pretty wild scene and somewhat of a sensory overload. With all of the chocolate, alcohol, music, and people dancing in glossy leotards, it sort of felt like I was walking into the sequel of Eyes Wide Shut.

My favorite part of the event, surprisingly, was the fashion. Curated by Richard Parsakian, owner of Eons Boutique, the outfits and models created a very eclectically Victorian ambiance with European undertones. Bravo.

The VIP section was a sprawling space filled with live music, appetizers, and ample seating. However, the main floor of the event seemed like 376 at 5pm, but despite the human traffic jam, people enjoyed themselves.

As the event industry becomes over saturated with sub-par planning, marketing, and execution, events like The Chocolate Bar raise the “bar” for event planners across the region.

Photos by Julie Kahlbaugh