What a Chowdown! Record Crowds, Incredible Chowdah and Community Spirit at Its Best! 🍲
What a day! What a crowd! And what an incredible celebration of community!
Under gorgeous sunshine and warm fall skies, Springs Food Pantry's 8th Annual Chowdah Chowdown brought a record turnout of over 500 guests to the patio at Springs Tavern and Grill on Saturday, October 10.
The atmosphere was electric! From the first ladle of chowdah to the final votes, the afternoon was filled with laughter, music, friendly competition and an extraordinary sense of community spirit. It was exhilarating to see so many friends, neighbors and supporters come together, not just for delicious chowdah, but to help Springs Food Pantry continue feeding families in our community.
In her remarks to the crowd, Holly Reichart-Wheaton, Director and Chairperson of Springs Food Pantry, reflected on what makes Chowdah Chowdown so special and how the generosity and spirit of our community extend far beyond this one afternoon.
“The Chowdah Chowdown is so much more than a fundraiser. It’s a celebration of the true spirit of Springs: a community coming together, neighbors helping neighbors, and people opening their hearts to ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. That’s what makes Springs such a special place.”— Holly Reichart-Wheaton Director and Chairperson, Springs Food Pantry
And the Winners Are... 🏆
With so many delicious and creative entries, our guests had some tough decisions to make! But when the votes were counted, two chefs emerged victorious:
Tastiest Chowdah: Chef Peter Ambrose, Thai Spiced New England Clam Chowder
Most Unique Chowdah: Chef Peter Ambrose, Thai Spiced New England Clam Chowder
Best Traditional Chowdah: Chef Darren Boyle of Performance Food Group, Traditional New England Chowder Bonac Style
A double win for Chef Peter Ambrose! Huge congratulations to Peter and Darren for their outstanding creations and well-deserved recognition.
In addition to bragging rights, both winning chefs received a special Springs Food Pantry apron, a fitting keepsake for their award-winning chowdah creations!
Of course, the real winners were the hundreds of guests who got to sample such an incredible variety of chowdah and soup, and the Springs families who benefit from the generosity behind this event.
A Standing Ovation for Our Chefs and Restaurants
Chowdah Chowdown simply wouldn't be possible without the incredible generosity of our participating chefs and restaurants. They donated their time, talent, ingredients, creativity and, most importantly, their love for this community.
A heartfelt thank-you to all 22 participating chefs and restaurants:
Almond • Amber Waves • Bostwicks • Chef Peter Ambrose • Chef Darren Boyle of Performance Food Group • Derek Freedman • Fresno • Il Buco Al Mare • Kristina Felix & the Pollock-Krasner House • Lobster Roll • Lorilynn Bauer • Lulu Kitchen & Bar • The Meeting House • Nikki Glick, Nikki's Not Dog Stand • Nourish by Roundtree • Plate Date • Red Horse Market • Sen • Silver Spoon Specialties • Smokin Wolf • Springs Tavern and Grill • 1770 House Restaurant & Inn
Each brought something special to the table, and together they made this year's competition unforgettable.
A special thank-you also goes to Il Buco al Mare and Amber Waves for generously donating delicious homemade bread, the perfect accompaniment to all that chowdah!
Our Wonderful Hosts and Partners
We owe an enormous thank-you to Springs Tavern and Grill, especially owner Alex Rossi and General Manager Raul Rodas, for once again opening their patio to us and helping create such a wonderful setting for the afternoon. Their hospitality, generosity and commitment to supporting the Springs community are truly appreciated.
The energy throughout the afternoon was contagious, thanks in no small part to Josh Brussell, whose fantastic live music kept spirits high and the celebration going.
Adding a beautiful touch of autumn to the festivities was Bloom Country and Erika Garcia, who created the wonderfully decorated fall cart that showcased our Chowdah Chowdown T-shirts. It was a perfect seasonal accent to an already gorgeous day!
And keeping everyone refreshed was Cocktails & Dreams, whose fabulous complimentary mocktail bar added another special touch to an already memorable afternoon.
We're also incredibly grateful to Corcoran Cares, who presented Springs Food Pantry with a generous $2,500 donation at the event! Beyond their financial generosity, members of the team have also volunteered their time to help support the Pantry. Their continued involvement and commitment to our Springs community mean so much to us.
A Lucky Winner and a Generous Community!
Our popular 50/50 raffle added even more excitement to the afternoon, with a total pot of $2,500!
Congratulations to Anne-Marie Fitzgerald, who took home $1,250, half the raffle proceeds, plus two gift cards totaling $250 generously donated by Honest Man Hospitality, good at any of their restaurants, including Nick & Toni's and Rowdy Hall.
The other $1,250 from the raffle goes directly toward supporting Springs Food Pantry's mission. Thank you to everyone who purchased tickets, and to Honest Man Hospitality for helping make the raffle extra special!
Missed Out on a Chowdah T-Shirt?
Good news! We still have a limited number of our 2026 Chowdah Chowdown long-sleeve T-shirts available for purchase at $40 each!
They're perfect for hanging out around town, showing off your Springs spirit or giving as a fun gift to family and friends. And every purchase helps support Springs Food Pantry.
Interested in a T-shirt? Email us at info@springsfoodpantry.org to find out about available sizes and how to get yours.
The Heart of It All: Our Volunteers ❤️
Behind every great Chowdah Chowdown is an extraordinary team of volunteers.
From weeks of planning and preparation to setup, chef coordination, ticket check-in, serving, raffle sales, cleanup and everything in between, an event of this size takes an enormous amount of work.
Springs Food Pantry is 100% volunteer-led and operated, and our volunteers once again demonstrated what makes this organization so special. Many were joined by family members who generously pitched in to help make the day a success.
To every single volunteer and family member who contributed: thank you! Your dedication, enthusiasm, teamwork and good humor helped turn a very busy afternoon into something truly remarkable.
We're incredibly proud of what this team accomplished.
Capturing the Magic
A special thank-you to Bill Delano of Peconic Pictures and Hazel Schack for capturing the energy, smiles, laughter and unforgettable moments throughout the day.
And Most Importantly, Thank YOU!
To the more than 500 guests who joined us: thank you for making this our biggest Chowdah Chowdown ever!
You came to taste some fantastic chowdah, enjoy a beautiful fall afternoon and spend time with friends and neighbors. But you also came to support something much bigger.
Every ticket purchased, every raffle entry and every contribution helps Springs Food Pantry continue providing healthy food choices to hundreds of Springs families who rely on us each week.
The community spirit we witnessed on Saturday was truly moving. It's a powerful reminder of what happens when neighbors come together to help neighbors.
And if you'd like to keep that community spirit going all year long, please consider becoming a monthly donor to Springs Food Pantry. Recurring donations, large or small, provide the steady support we need to put healthy food on the tables of Springs families every Wednesday. It's a simple way to make a lasting difference, long after the last bowl of chowdah has been served!
Help Us Make Next Year Even Better!
We're already looking forward to Chowdah Chowdown 2027, and we'd love to hear what you thought of this year's event!
What did you love? What could we improve? Do you have ideas or suggestions for next year?
You can share your feedback by leaving a comment below (you'll need to create an account first) or emailing us directly at info@springsfoodpantry.org.
We read and appreciate your feedback, and we want to make next year's Chowdah Chowdown even better.
Thank you, Springs, for showing up, celebrating together and reminding us what community is all about. We hope you'll join us next year!
Thrilled and amazed by the community turnout and the incredible support from local restaurants and chefs!! Looking forward to an even bigger turnout next year!