Empty Bowl Supper “To Go” on Main Street – April 24, 2021

Come out to enjoy our favorite fundraiser to benefit the House of Hope! The Empty Bowl Supper “TO GO” will be held on Saturday, April 24th, in historic downtown Front Royal, Virginia from 12pm-3pm, with extended entertainment and Main Street enjoyment until 6pm. The Empty Bowl Supper has been a well attended fun community event for several years. This year it is taking on a new “look” as we change the event to a “TO GO” style due to some of the restrictions the pandemic has put on events. Never fear, these changes have created exciting new growth for the event.

Registration will begin at 12noon on Saturday in front of the Visitor’s Center. Check in with the House of Hope volunteers at the event table and receive your soup tickets, “TO GO” bag, and learn about an exciting “Stay-Cation” raffle prize donated by Warren County Tourism!

Tickets are sold online or at Explore Art & Clay (100 E 8th St, Front Royal, VA 22630). With every ticket purchase you receive one hand painted ceramic bowl and two “TO GO” pre packaged soups.

Have you been on Main Street lately? If so, you may have noticed bowl displays in some storefront windows! Local potter Arline Link at Explore Art & Clay has been extremely busy throwing and preparing about 200 bowls for the event. Community groups and individuals have been painting the bowls to be ready for selection on the day of the supper. After registration, you will set off on the hunt to find your perfect bowl to go with your soup!

The Soup Station will be inside Downtown Market. Not only will you be stepping inside to select your two soups, you will be stepping into a wonderful business that is the home of approximately 78 local vendors! Perhaps you will depart Downtown Market with more than just your soup!

Soups you can look forward to and the establishments who are donating:

• Blue Wing Frog – Vegan Butternut Squash
• Vinova Tapas and Wine Bar – Gumbo
• PaveMint Smokin’ Taphouse- Chicken Dumpling Soup
• Soul Mountain Restaurant – Tomato Basil
• The Mill Restaurant – Cream of Broccoli, Beef Vegetable, Chili, Loaded Potato, and White Bean Chicken
• The Apple House – Loaded Baked Potato
• Mountain Home – Chestnut Apple Soup
• Manor Line Market – TBD
• Paladin Bar & Grill – Brunswick Stew
• The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn – Ribolitta (sausage, beans, vegetables)
• The Front Royal Brewery – New England Clam Chowder
• Downtown Catering – TBD
• Daily Grind – White Bean Chili
• Royal Spice – TBD
• House of Hope – www.warrencountyhomeless.org
• El Maguey – TBD
• Try Thai – TBD

Although some things are changing, some things remain the same when it comes to the music in the air. Passage Creek Rising will be playing live music at the gazebo for the first half of the event. Once Passage Creek wraps up we can expect JWX: The Jarreau Williams Experience. Be sure to pack your lawn chair and your dancing shoes.

Proceeds of the Empty Bowl Supper will go to the House of Hope. The House of Hope is a local program in Warren County to help homeless men who are ready to make a permanent change in their life. At the House, men are given life skills training, career counseling, and moral support. Providing a roof and a safe place to live, the men are able to maintain a steady paying job and save money. The goal is about 6-9 months of residency before graduating the program into independent living.

Main Street will be closed from: 10:30am until 7pm. The Town has partnered to help launch this wonderful event at it’s new location on Main Street. If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Avery, House of Hope board member at 540 683 0790 or jenaveryrealtor@gmail.com.