People grabbed food storage containers, plastic bags and stretch pants before heading to the Chocolate Fest Saturday.
Knoxville Center Mall became a mad house as chocolate lovers stormed the place in search of the best samples. While walking through the areas where the more popular booths were, one could hear phrases like “Move it” and “Why is it taking so long?”
Bonnie Buffaloe, a junior in business, expressed the feelings of many chocoholics as she stepped into line to get her first sample of the day.
“This is like an amusement park,” Buffaloe said. “You stand in a long line, and at the end, you get a treat.”
Other chocolate lovers, however, expressed some dismay about the lines.
“I wish it would have all been in one line,” Jennifer McCall, a chocolate fan, said.
Some participants also voiced their complaints about the lack of Godiva chocolate.
“I was disappointed that Godiva was not represented because it is the upper echelon of chocolate,” Buffaloe said. “Even though they were available at the silent auction, you think it would’ve been included as a booth.”
“I also thought Mayfield should have had plain milk,” she continued. “Milk goes with chocolate. When you think cookies, you think ‘Got Milk.'”
The Rush provided the chocolate eaters with a fat-free shake, but many weren’t fans of the beverage.
“It was okay considering it’s fat-free,” Susan Edwards, a participant, said. “A whole glass of the stuff would not be good.”
A number of those in attendance even brought their friends that do not eat chocolate to the event.
“To me, it’s not very exciting because I’m allergic,” Eric Augilar, a junior in psychology, said. “It’s times like these that I wish I wasn’t allergic.”
Other food businesses in the mall seemed to be abandoned due to the attraction.
“Normally, we’re busier than this,” Lisa Cordero, a manager at Auntie Anne’s, said. “When it dies down, we usually get slammed.”
At the end of the day, onlookers were amazed.
“It’s interesting to see people’s passion for chocolate,” Peter Augilar, a senior in music, said.
