The Greater Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce (GOTCC) will hold its annual Wine and Chocolate Tasting at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 at Shore Antique Center, 413 Allen Ave., Allenhurst.
The event is sponsored by Wegmans Ocean and is a social and networking gathering. The GOTCC will be holding its new member drive as well.
The cost is $15 per person for this all-inclusive event for those age 21 or older.
“We were approached by several people who were not wine lovers, but preferred beer and decided to add craft beer tasting last year,” said GOTCC President and event Co-chair Rose O’Connor Myer. “It is a relaxed evening where everyone mingles around the venue, taking in the nostalgic scenery, while sampling all of the offerings of our popular vendors. It is not a business-only event, but a casual evening out that also raises funds for both the Chamber and the Community Hope Fund.”
The Community Hope Fund is a local 501c3 organization that provides both temporary assistance to needy families and valuable programs for children.
This year the event will include wine tasting, chocolate, craft beer, international cheeses as well as culinary and coffee samplings.
New participants this year are Bradley Beach’s Elbow Room Food & Cocktails, Asbury Park’s Asbury Festhalle & Biergarten and Lentil Tree, Allenhurst’s Mister C’s Beach Bistro & Bar and Cravings, Ocean’s Caramel Shop and Broad Street Dough Company, Shrewsbury’s Nothing Bundt Cakes and Tinton Falls’ Jughandle Brewery.
They will be joined by longtime participants and event sponsor Wegmans Ocean, Gallo Wine Sales of New Jersey, Asbury Park’s Kim Marie’s Eat ‘n Drink Away and Mark’s Place & Restaurant, Allenhurst Wine & Spirits, Ocean’s Buona Sera Palazzo, Tinton Falls’ Lindt Chocolate Shop of the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets and Eatontown’s Eagle Specialty Coffee.
Corporate sponsors include Ansell Grimm & Aaron, PC, Lester Glenn Ford of Ocean, Central Jersey Urgent Care, Monmouth Medical Center and HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Tinton Falls. Event sponsors include Shore Antique Center, Patty D Photography, CineGrand Middlebrook Galleria, The Coaster, Trinity Worldwide Technologies, The Today Paper, Belmarketing Design Studio and Migman Media.
Event Co-chair and GOTCC Trustee Dr. Stuart Chavis said new members who join the GOTCC “will receive a one-time 25 percent membership discount and one free admission to the event if they join prior to the event or at the door.”
For more information, call the GOTCC at 732-660-1888 or visit www.GOTCC.org.