It may not be a Golden Ticket, but it’s close enough.
The opportunity to eat lots of chocolate treats returns with the third annual McCandless Crossing Chocolate Walk to benefit North Hills Community Outreach.
This year’s event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. March 7.
Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased at nhco.org/chocolate. The event is only for ticket holders and is limited to the first 250 tickets sold.
“It’s a win-win to get out with girlfriends, shop and get free chocolate,” said Shirley Zalakar of Shaler, who has attended for the past two years.
Ticket holders literally will be treated for five hours at participating businesses at McCandless Crossing, an open-air shopping center at the crossroads of McKnight Road and Duncan Avenue.
The event begins at The Fairfield Inn Suites, where everyone will receive a tote to hold a bag of sweets and other goodies.
Gifted Hands, an artisan gift shop, returns to the lineup, offering a free chocolate-scented car diffuser for participants.
“These retail for $12.95 in our shops, but participants get to choose their favorite on us,” said Shelley Hoare, owner of Gifted Hands.
Participants will get to choose from one of four limited-edition scents, specially created for this year’s Chocolate Walk, including Chocolate Croissant, Chocolate Espresso Martini, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, she said.
“Each diffuser lasts 45 to 60 days and is completely calorie-free — a sweet little reminder of the Chocolate Walk long after the last bite. A perfect, and mess-free, addition to the event,” said Hoare, who also operates locations in Wexford, Murrysville and Settlers Ridge in Robinson Township.
She said last year’s event went well.
“We had new customers come in. It was exciting for our employees and everyone who came into the store,” said Hoare, who lives in Franklin Park.
Kristen Morrell, who owns Style Encore at McCandless Crossing, has been participating in the Chocolate Walk since it began in 2024.
“It’s for a good cause. It’s a fun thing to do. We have people that come in and say they’ve never been here before,” said Morrell, who is a 1986 graduate of North Hills High School.
She said her store likely will once again be passing out Sarris chocolate bars.
Zalakar was impressed by all of the treats she received last year, some of which included a chocolate mini milkshake at Burgatory Restaurant, hot chocolate raspberry wine at Deer Creek Winery and full-sized cookies at Di Bella Subs.
These stores confirmed they will be doing the same this year and are just a few of the businesses participating in the event.
“You get to go out, and you make it on your time. You go when it’s convenient,” Zalakar said.
Last year’s Chocolate Walk raised nearly $10,000 for North Hills Community Outreach, according to Jeff Geissler, the nonprofit’s spokesperson.
NHCO has locations and food pantries in Avalon, Hampton and Millvale, providing various supportive services for people in Northern Allegheny County experiencing crisis, hardship and poverty.
It’s easy to see why the event continues to be popular.
“I think because it combines chocolate, shopping and hanging out with good friends on a Saturday afternoon for a great cause,” Geissler said.
Kevin Dougherty, president of AdVenture Development and developer of McCandless Crossing, is happy the walk is returning for the third year.
“We are excited to once again offer this popular event for chocolate lovers at McCandless Crossing to benefit our friends at North Hills Community Outreach,” Dougherty said.