Fascia's Chocolates to Host 50th Anniversary Celebration in Waterbury, Conn. Sept. 13 & 14

WATERBURY, Conn. - Sept. 3, 2014 - PRLog -- In celebration of 50 years of success, Fascia’s Chocolates in Waterbury, Conn. will host a weekend-long “Golden Anniversary” celebration September 13 & 14.  The event will include raffles, samplings and giveaways, free tours, live entertainment and chocolate-eating competitions.

Fascia’s Chocolates began in 1964 in the basement of John and Helen Fascia’s home in Waterbury, Conn. Word of their hand-crafted gourmet chocolates spread and led to the opening of Fascia’s first retail store in 1977. In 1985, John left his factory job to make candy full time and Fascia’s Chocolates relocated their factory and retail store. Within five years, the business outgrew that location and moved again where it expanded and became a destination to their loyal customers. In 2008, Fascia’s relocated again to a small industrial space to continue operations.

During the following five years, Fascia’s established a network of retail partners, expanded within their building and, with son-in-law Carmen Romeo joining the business in 2009, introduced small group factory tours, children’s birthday parties and chocolate workshops. Fascia’s Chocolates was named “Best Chocolates, 2012” by Connecticut Magazine and in September 2013, moved to its own building at 44 Chase River Road in Waterbury with a focus on tourism and public tours, birthday parties and private events.  Fascia’s also added ‘truly authentic’ gelatos and sorbets along with Lynne’s Chocolate Cakery, started one year earlier by one of the Fascia’s daughters, Lynne Mouanes.

Fascia’s Golden Anniversary Celebration will mark one year in the new building and the 50^th Anniversary of the company. “We’ve been happy with our growth since opening last year”, said Romeo. “We’ve had over 5,000 visitors through our various events, with most of them from outside the Waterbury area and new to Fascia’s Chocolates”.

During the September 13-14 celebration weekend, Fascia’s will wrap up their “Golden Anniversary Prize” (GAP) promotion started almost one year ago. GAP certificates have been hidden in unmarked boxes of chocolate, used as prizes in charitable donations for silent auctions and raffled off in-store and through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. “As Honorary Chocolatiers, all Golden Anniversary Prize winners will be welcomed to work in our factory for a day and be as involved as they desire,” said Romeo. “In addition to packing their own box of chocolates, of course, they will be our ‘Chief Taster’ while here.”

The evening of September 13 all Fascia’s Chocolates’ 50^th Anniversary GAP Winners will be in a drawing for the Special Grand Prize of a Gourmet Chocolate Party for 20. Second prize will be “Chocolate for a Year” in the form of 1.5 lbs of Fascia’s Chocolates every month. GAP winners will also be able to choose from five premium prizes offered by Fascia’s Chocolate business partners in the region. Prizes include season tickets to “Fascia’s Chocolate Night” during the 2014-2015 season at 7 Angels Theater in Waterbury, tickets for two for three performances during the 2014-2015 season of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, tickets for four for one performance at the Palace Theatre during the 2014-2015 season, tickets for four for one performance at the Warner Theatre during the 2014-2015 season, and a Cake Baking Session with Lynne’s Chocolate Cakery with the prize winner’s very own Kitchen Aide mixer, donated by Elizabeth Richard Gifts of Waterbury.  Golden Anniversary Pass promotions will continue right up to the week of the celebration through weekly in-store raffles and contests on Facebook and Twitter.

Visits to Fascia’s Chocolates’ factory include viewing of antique chocolate molds and memorabilia including newspaper articles and photographs of Fascia’s history over the past five decades. Fascia’s location features an outdoor patio with picnic tables outside their bright and airy retail store with a Mediterranean café style ambiance and serving Fascia’s very own gelatos made with authentic Italian ingredients and locally-sourced milk. The 12,500 square foot factory and retail store also houses Lynne’s Chocolate Cakery, offering freshly baked goods and cupcakes.

Home to the area’s only Chocolate Experience & Tour, Fascia’s offers the unprecedented opportunity for customers to make-their-own chocolate bars with toppings of their personal choice. “Fascia’s produces our chocolates using traditional handcrafted methods,” stated Romeo. To enhance the experience, Fascia’s has live cameras looking onto the factory floor for ‘up-close’ viewings of production activities.

During the Golden Anniversary Celebration, Fascia’s will offer free, shortened versions of their Chocolate Experience. Tours will be held hourly Saturday between 11am and 3pm and on Sunday 12 to 3 pm. Reservations are recommended and can be made on Fascia’s website where the entire weekend schedule of events is listed. Daily celebration activities will include chocolate samples and raffles and special goodie bags for the first 50 purchasers each day.

To mark their 50^th Anniversary, Fascia’s Chocolates has created a special replica of the chocolate box used in the late 60’s and early 70’s and is selling the 1 lb box for $19.64 while supplies last.  A custom chocolate bar with Fascia’s anniversary logo will be available. Both items will be used for prizes and special promotions throughout the weekend.

Additional celebration highlights include live music on Saturday and Chocolate Eating contests Sunday afternoon. Bands are scheduled on Saturday are Shake Bite featuring Reggae, Blues and Jazz-Rock at 2:30 pm. Rattlin Windows featuring Folk, Americana, Blues & Bluegrass will perform at 4:30 pm.  After the GAP awards at 6:30 pm, Group Therapy, a Classic Rock and Funk Dance Party Band will play at 7:00 pm.

The Chocolate Eating contests on Sunday afternoon will be for age groups of 5 and under, 6-12 and 13+. Contestants will compete to eat a portion of chocolate the fastest. Three sets of contests are scheduled with one for each age group at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 pm. Contestants can sign up on Fascia’s website at under About Us and 50^th Anniversary Celebration.

Regular ongoing tours are offered at Fascia’s Saturdays and Sundays every week at 12:30 & 2:00 pm and private events can be made by reservation. To make online reservations for tours, visit www.fasciaschocolates.com. Fascia’s Chocolates is open year-round from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays; 12:00 to 5:00 pm Sundays and closed Mondays.  Fascia’s also requests ‘liking’ them on Facebook and following them on Twitter (#FasciasChoc) to take advantage of special discounts and coupons. Fascia’s is located at 44 Chase River Road in Waterbury immediately off Route 8 North at Exit 36, just two minutes from I-84.