Buffalo’s winter doldrums are in full effect, even if they’re a little weirder than usual. There are either piles of muddy slush, icy gusts of wind, coatings of ice, horizontally-blowing snow and random 60 degree weather that inflates our hopes for spring before freezing solid again.

There are few better cures to a Buffalo winter than chocolate. It’s delicious, available in countless varieties and people always posit that it’s healthy. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. tonight at the Hotel at the Lafayette’s Marquis de Lafayette Ballroom, JOY FM 96.1 and Townsquare Media present the 2013 Chocolate Affair unfolds with an overwhelming host of participants.

General admission tickets have sold out, but $35 “Golden Tickets” are available here. These higher-level tickets invite guests to arrive at 5 p.m. for exclusive tastings before the general admission guests are allowed in. Golden ticket attendees will be pampered with sweets, have the chance to dress up and explore their tipsy sides with several Western New York wineries. 

Some of the featured dessert eateries are as follows: Butterwood Sweet and Savory, Dove Chocolates, Cupcake Orchards, Mazurek’s Bakery, Paula’s Donuts, Stuffed Chocolate, Swirls Market Cafe, Nitro Magic Ice Cream and D&M Confections.

You can locate the full list of participants here at the bottom of the page. Browse through a photo gallery from the Chocolate Affair in 2011 courtesy of former Buffalo.com photographer Jeff Noto.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr / thepinkpeppercorn)