You’re sure to lose the winter blues at the 9th Annual Cocoa Crawl in Historic Downtown Long Grove, noon-3 p.m. Feb. 7.
Visitors can sample free cocoa from six tents. “Each tent has its own signature hot cocoa flavor,” said Nikki Faul, event cochair of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association, which is presenting the event in partnership with the Long Grove Lions Club.
In addition, many businesses are selling cocoa-themed items; some are also offering free treats.
Another highlight of the day will be free carriage rides around the Historic Downtown area, and reservations are not needed.
Marian Ward is the events co-chair of the Historic Downtown Long Grove Business Association and owner of Within Reach, a gift shop in Historic Downtown Long Grove since 1982.
“I sell all sorts of gifts for all occasions and home décor,” Ward said. “I kind of specialize in baby gifts and wedding gifts.”
Ward said that the Cocoa Crawl benefits Within Reach because there are “more eyes; more people coming in. It’s real great marketing, and it’s pure fun.”
Although Within Reach won’t have specifically cocoa-related items for sale that day, they will have a variety of fun mugs.
Long Grove Confectionery Co. has participated in the Cocoa Crawl “since the very beginning, from the very first one, we were onboard,” said Mary Prekop, Director of Retail and Brand Development.
Prekop described the event as “a real give-back. At a time of year when it’s our slowest season, even with Valentine’s Day, this is a real opportunity for us to remind our community that we appreciate them, since this is a free event. But also to say, we’re not just here at the holidays or the big festivals. We are here every day.”
This year, Long Grove Confectionery will be treating visitors to a sample chocolate-strawberry hot chocolate as a play off their popular chocolate-covered strawberries. “It will have chocolate and strawberry and a dash of magic,” Prekop declared.
Faul said the Cocoa Crawl was started “to bring visitors and community together during a quiet time of year. Everyone’s kind of been hibernated for January, and this will get everybody back out in the streets to share in a community experience.”
Ward added, “In a sleepy month like February, when there are not a lot of people walking around, it brings on average about 3,000 people.”
“After the event at 3, we encourage all the visitors to stay in town, shop the shops, dine at the restaurants,” Faul said.
To encourage that they offer a special promotion. Anyone who spends $100 or more at Historic Downtown Long Grove businesses that day can pick up a free Cocoa Crawl mug from the Long Grove Visitors Center, 145 Old McHenry Rd.
Each year, the mug is a different color. It’s teal for 2026.
“Every year, we make it a little better for our guests,” Ward said of the work that the Business Association does for the Cocoa Crawl. “We have a team of people that we sit and come up with new ideas or we use the ones from the past and perfect them.”
For more details, visit longgrove.org/festival/cocoa-crawl.
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
