Events: Sweet Tooth Festival

CHARLOTTE - It's time to indulge your love of sugar at the Sweet Tooth Festival, Charlotte's first drop-in celebration of all things confectionery, featuring the region's finest purveyors of cupcakes, candies, cookies and sweet treats.

The inaugural event, scheduled for 2-6 p.m. Feb. 19, will showcase the area's top bakeries, chocolatiers, pastry artisans or home-based businesses in all manners of sweets (including beverages) in a festive, sample-happy environment at BLACKLION, 10605 Park Road, in Charlotte.

Among those already confirmed to participate: Cupcrazed Cakery, winner of the Food Network's "Cupcake Wars," South End wine shop Vin Master, FuManChuCupcakes and Yoforia, just to name a few.

All-inclusive tickets ($25 per person) include generous samples from Sweet Tooth vendors, as well as swag bags packed with goodies from event sponsors.

A portion of the event proceeds will benefit The Joe Martin ALS Foundation, which provides homecare aides and nurses to create independence and possibility for people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS (also referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease). ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.

The unique event is the work of Tooth Fairies Rachel Sutherland and Rhonda Hodges, two women who love treats, fun and sharing the latest and greatest with everyone.

First friends, now colleagues, the duo are the creative team behind Rachel Sutherland Communications, a Charlotte-based public relations/marketing firm. They were motivated to organize Sweet Tooth as a way to honor the memory of Rhonda's mother, Dianne C. Johnson, who lost her valiant four-year battle with ALS in 2011.

"Momma was a wife, mother, artist, grandmother, friend, sister, auntie, registered nurse and daughter," Rhonda says. "She loved to laugh, she was always smiling and she was a fighter. This is the face of ALS and we are fighting for those like her. They need our help."

Event sponsors include Charlotte Magazine, Yelp Charlotte, Scoop Charlotte and vitaminwater.

For more event information or to purchase tickets, visit www.sweettoothfestival.com.