Soup's on! Empty Bowls fundraiser is April 24 in Fergus Falls

Come eat good soup, out of good bowls, for a good cause at this year’s Empty Bowls fundraising event at M State. 

Now in its 19th year, the charitable luncheon will be held Thursday, April 24 in Legacy Hall on the M State campus in Fergus Falls from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Fergus Falls Salvation Army food program.

“This beloved annual event brings people together to enjoy a hot lunch of fresh soup and to celebrate the art of giving, as donations collected help fight hunger in our local communities,” says Lori Charest, M State ceramics instructor and Empty Bowls organizer. “People also come to see and appreciate the work of our local potters and student artists, who craft hundreds of ceramic bowls for this event – and every attendee gets to keep one.”

For a suggested donation of $20, diners can select their artisan-made bowl of choice, have it filled with hot soup from Twizt’d Café (Chicken Wild Rice or a vegetable option), and be served fresh bread from Service Food Market. Beverages will also be available.

“Empty Bowls has raised almost $86,000 for the local food program in its past 18 years in Fergus Falls,” says Charest. “Last year alone, the event generated $7,935. The continual kindness and generosity of our community is so appreciated.”

Volunteers from M State help serve the food, collect donations and wash dishes. Some also participate in the “Bowl-A-Thon” prior to the event, working side-by-side with other local artisans for a day of nonstop bowl-making in the college’s art room. Typically, upwards of 200 ceramic bowls are made that day; trimming, firing and glazing begin the day after. When including another 250-300 bowls left over from past Empty Bowls events, a total of almost 500 bowls will be available to choose from this year. 

Empty Bowls attendees are also encouraged to tour the college’s hallways and art galleries while on campus, where they can view the paintings, sculptures, textiles and other works by the 57 area artists featured in this year’s M State Invitational Art Show.

Empty Bowls is a nationwide project of the nonprofit Image/Render Group, an organization dedicated to positive and lasting social change through the arts, education and community-building. The Fergus Falls Empty Bowls event is hosted by the M State Fine Arts Department.