Athough there was still plenty of snow on the ground in Bel Air Saturday, hundreds of locals did not let that keep them inside any longer and they made their way to the Bel Air Reckord Armory for the 14th annual Chocolate & Candy Festival.
“It’s time to get out and get downtown!” Christine McPherson, executive director of the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, said.
The Downtown Alliance put on the festival, with major sponsorship from APG Federal Credit Union. The festival, which attracted at least 1,500 people this year, is typically held in March and heralds the beginning of a slew of local springtime events.
“For the price you pay to come in, and the sample tickets, it’s a good buy for the family,” Linda Flint, a board member of the Downtown Alliance, said.
Admission was $5 per person for anyone age 7 and older. Children 6 years old and younger were admitted free.
This year was the first time McPherson oversaw the Chocolate & Candy Festival for the Downtown Alliance. McPherson was named executive director in December 2014.
“Many thanks to past executive directors who created that framework [for the festival], that we can come in and pick it up,” she said.