The 10th Annual SouperFest, a benefit for the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness, will be held Saturday, March 30, at Rundlett Middle School in Concord. This anniversary event will be the first with an international flavor, celebrating the diversity that makes Concord such a wonderful, welcoming community.
The event begins at 2 p.m. with FunFest, sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Concord. The gymnasium will be transformed into a giant playhouse for children 12 and under. FunFest includes an obstacle course, face painting, spin art, mini-golf, bounce house, gaga pit, sumo suits, DJ/music by Nazzy Entertainment and much more! FunFest Kids Zone features games especially for children ages 5 and under. Hot dogs, popcorn and slushies will be available for purchase.
SouperFest is from 4 to 6:30 p.m. in an expansive and tastefully decorated function room. Chefs from around Concord will offer 35 unique specialty soups, many with an international flavor, including Lebanese Lentil, Thai Carrot Soup, African Chicken-Peanut and In Posólli Nixtamál in quilitl-nanácatl totómitica, as well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Along with the soups, attendees can sample artisan breads and a vast selection of desserts prepared by 45 bakery chefs.
Sink and Soha Trio will provide music, and handcrafted bowls by local potters and schools can be purchased for $10 and up.
Suggested donation for SouperFest is $10 for adults, $5 for children under age 12. Tickets can be purchased online at concordhomeless.org or at the door. The website contains full event details, including a list of chefs.
Profits from admittance and bowl art sales support CCEH programs, including the Concord Homeless Resource Center, Housing First Concord and the Emergency Winter Shelter. Last year’s SouperFest raised $60,000; this year, organizers hope to raise $65,000.
SouperFest’s honorary chairman, Sen. Dan Feltes, said, “I believe strongly that Concord is an incredibly caring community. That we are all willing to step up and protect our most vulnerable citizens at some of the toughest times of crisis in their lives says a lot about who we are and what we represent here in Concord. The Coalition has been an incredible partner for the City of Concord as we try, as a community, to create and implement a Plan to End Homelessness. The Plan includes housing for the most vulnerable and attempts to address the many facets of this serious issue. I am therefore pleased to have the opportunity to serve as the Honorary Chair and in that capacity, I ask you to please support SouperFest 2019.”
Greg Lessard, director of development at the Concord Food Co-op, said, “The Co-op has partnered with the Concord Coalition to End Homelessness by offering management assistance for this event. With over 150 volunteers and 800-plus anticipated guests, SouperFest is truly a reflection of a community dedicated to eliminating homelessness. At the low suggested donation price for kids and adults, supporting this fun event is very affordable.”
Ellen Groh, executive director of CCEH, said, “Concord is an incredibly compassionate and generous community, and SouperFest is a great community event to support a great cause! You can let your kids burn off pent-up energy in the bouncy house, or you can relax and sample so many different wonderful soups while you visit with your friends and neighbors. All proceeds go toward CCEH’s work to end homelessness and meet the basic needs of people struggling with homelessness.”
SouperFest is supported by its Platinum sponsors, Merrimack County Savings Bank and The Hotel Concord. We would also like to thank our Gold sponsors, Full Circle Consulting, Metzger/McGuire and Rotary Club of Concord, along with more than 40 other Concord-area organizations.
Greg LessardConcord Food Co-op
