The 21st Annual Chocolate Festival will be hitting the streets of Oakdale on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. Chocolate Avenue will be returning and will have a few new vendors as well as some of the returning favorites.

Foxy’s Toffee owner Kathryn Brubaker will be attending the Chocolate Festival for the first time this year. Brubaker will be bringing her chocolate covered almond toffee and a batch of her homemade butter pecan sauce. The family almond toffee recipe was passed down to her after her Godmother passed away 25 years ago. The butter pecan sauce is an original creation that her mother collaborated on with her and basically, turned a “simple mistake” into a batch of delightful goodness, according to Brubaker.

There are no artificial colors or flavors in the toffee and she does not use corn syrup. The chocolate that she uses in her recipe comes from Guittard Chocolate Co. from Burlingame, CA.

Brubaker recalls looking forward to Thanksgiving every year just to get to eat the authentic almond toffee that her Godmother would make from scratch. Now that she has been given the recipe, friends and family advised her to share it with the public.

The business got its name and logo from Brubaker’s little dog that, she said, looks just like a fox and is called Foxy.

“Festivals are so much fun,” said Brubaker. “The community of people and vendors are a whole lifestyle of its own.”

The first time Chocolate festival vendor heard about the event from her neighbor, who used to live in Modesto and attended the festival many years ago.

Another vendor joining the Chocolate Avenue line up is Original Schollars. They will be serving up some original drinks like frozen hot chocolate and chocolate dipped strawberry lemonade. They also offer an assortment of coffees, fresh baked churros and chocolate sauce.

Krystie Schollar will be managing the booth at the Chocolate Festival in Oakdale for the first time. The festival was recommended to her by another vender that worked the festival last year.

The Original Schollars strictly do spring and summer fairs and festivals in California, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada.

All the beverages are original family recipes that have been passed down over the years. They started out 20 years ago with an Alaskan frozen lemonade.

Garrett Shandler, owner of Fruitopia, will have a booth set up with chocolate covered fruit and crepes. Fruitopia is based out of Los Angeles and is another first time vendor at the festival. Shandler stated that he has had interest in the Chocolate Festival for the past couple years but has not been able to attend.

These new vendors and a few others will be making their debut at the Oakdale Chocolate Festival on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19.

Chocolate Avenue, always a favorite destination of festival visitors, will be filled with tasty treats from vendors near and far, with the newcomers and the ‘staples’ serving up the sweet goodness. The local Sconza Candy will have a spot on the avenue as well, with their chocolate covered products and other candy items.