ANDOVER — While winter may be well on its way and February may be forecast to be frigid, what better way to beat the chill than with a sizzling soup showdown? Saturday, February 22, from 11 AM to 2 PM, join the Friends of the Andover Libraries (FOALs) at The Andover Community Hub, 157 Main Street, as we host our first annual soup cookoff. 

All community members, businesses, nonprofit, and Town organizations are invited to enter their prizewinning recipes for sampling by the best judges in town, your friends and neighbors. The top three soups will be rewarded with some fun prizes; first place will be awarded the coveted “Golden Ladle,” which will be displayed at the Andover Libraries for all to see.

Registration to enter your soup is free; please provide at least one six- to seven-quart crock pot of soup for your entry, as well as a list of ingredients and/or recipe cards to share. Registrants should plan to stay for the whole event or have someone available to help serve and answer any questions about your soup. To register, contact Miranda at mjdawalga@nulloutlook.com, 603 724-9448, or scan the QR code in this article.

There is a $5 requested donation to participate as a judge. Judges will have the opportunity to sample all soups or as many as they choose. After sampling. they will award their favorite soup with a point. 

Judges may stop in anytime between 11 AM and 2 PM to sample soups and cast their votes. There is no pre registration required. 

To learn more about the FOALs and the W.A. Bachelder Library trust, or to become a member, contact libraryfriendsgroupandover@nullgmail.com. All proceeds from this event support the Friends of the Andover Libraries (FOALs), a nonprofit organization that was founded to help provide volunteers, ideas, funding, and additional support for our existing library programs, as well as enhancement of resources and services for the Andover Public Library beyond the funding appropriated by the Town.