SALEM — Chocolate to please the palate and a visual feast of ice sculptures will highlight the eighth annual Salem's So Sweet chocolate and ice sculpture festival.
The festival kicks off tonight at 6:30 with a Chocolate and Wine Tasting at Hamilton Hall.
By noon tomorrow, 16 ice sculptures — more than ever before — will be on display throughout the downtown area, with an ice-carving demonstration scheduled for 1 p.m. Promotions, usually featuring chocolate, will be offered at 35 shops and restaurants.
"It's a family-friendly event for everyone to come and enjoy," said Jennifer Bell, manager of Salem Main Streets, which organizes Salem's So Sweet.
The ice sculptures, created by a company called Ice Effects and paid for by local businesses, are expected to include an ice castle at Central and Essex streets, Max from "Where the Wild Things Are" outside Cornerstone Books, sports logos outside Tavern in the Square, a crystal snowflake outside Laura Lanes Skin Care on Essex Street, and a tiger outside the Peabody Essex Museum.
"What's particularly nice is in this difficult economy, there are a lot of things people can do for free," Bell said.
Free events include viewing the ice sculptures, watching the ice-carving demonstration at Pickering Wharf at 1 p.m. tomorrow and scoping out roughly 20 businesses that participated in a window-decorating contest.
Bell expects the carving at the demonstration will be inspired by "Casablanca." The theme of the three ice sculptures at Pickering Wharf is classic films like "Gone With the Wind" and "Doctor Zhivago."
"People have been asking us for an inside glimpse of the creative process, so this is something brand-new," Bell said of the carving demonstration.
In celebration of the chocolate weekend, many of Salem's restaurants will feature special chocolate offerings on their menus, including desserts, cocktails and sauces, and participating retailers will offer promotions, displays and items geared toward chocolate and Valentine's Day.
"We want to encourage people to come downtown," Bell said, "and enjoy all the restaurants and shops, and do their Valentine's Day shopping."
Visitors can validate a "Golden Ticket" at eight of the 35 participating businesses (you don't have to buy anything) to be entered in a drawing for a Salem's So Sweet gift basket.
"It's just a fun festival," Bell said. "It's a great reason for people to come out in the cold weather and really enjoy walking around downtown."
At tonight's tasting, 17 Salem businesses will provide chocolate and wine samples. The tasting costs $20 and is a fundraiser for Salem Main Streets, a nonprofit organization focused on revitalizing downtown Salem.
"There will be chocolate cheesecake, chocolate flan and all sorts of treats," Bell said, "Salem Beer Works will be here. ... We are expecting them to bring an espresso stout and a milk chocolate stout."
Salem's So Sweet
What: Ice sculptures, retail promotions, window-decorating contest throughout the downtown
When: Feb. 6 to 14
More information: To get a brochure of participating retailers or a map of ice sculptures, visit http://salemmainstreets.org
Organized by: Salem Main Streets and the Salem Chamber of Commerce.
