What's black & white and red all over? Well if you said a zebra with
a sun burn, you're only half right. A referee is also known as a
"zebra" because of the black & white striped shirt they wear, just
like the new Chowdafest mascot called "Chef Ref". Chef Ref is just one
of the many new additions to be announced throughout the month to this
year's culinary competition which is held annually on Super Bowl Sunday,
Feb. 2, 2014.
"More and more people are making it a tradition to come to Chowdafest
as part of their pre-Super Bowl plans" said Jim Keenan, event creator
and organizer. "Our new mascot is part chef, part ref. The perfect
combination to remind people they can come and be part of this culinary
competition that takes place early on Super Bowl Sunday and not miss the
big game later that night". Chowdafest takes place between 11 am and 3
pm at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard, conveniently right off exit
27 on I-95 in Bridgeport.
Chowdafest, presented by Stop & Shop, will feature twenty eight
highly recognized chefs/restaurants across Connecticut with a total of
32 entries, eight in each of the four competition categories. Adults and
kids alike are given a spoon, pencil and ballot when they enter the
arena. They then sample chowder, soup and bisque and vote on their
favorites. Kids get a free chef hat to decorate while supplies last.
Chowdafest benefits Connecticut Food Bank and tickets are just $12 for
adults and $5 for kids ages 6-12 which are available at the arena box
office. Chowdafest fans can save $2 on every adult ticket ($10) with an
advanced ticket purchase at any New Haven and Fairfield County Stop
& Shop locations (cash only please).
"Chef Ref" will be making many appearances throughout the month, most
notably at designated Stop & Shop locations, handing out balloons
and promoting Chowdafest.
Mascot Schedule:
- Sat. Jan. 11 – FIAT of Fairfield County in Stamford (12:00-1:30)
- Sat. Jan. 11 – Sound Tiger game at the Webster Bank Arena (7:00)
- Sun. Jan. 12 – Sound Tiger game at Webster Bank Arena (3:00)
- Fri. Jan. 17 – Stop & Shop in Westport (3:30 - 5:30)
- Sat. Jan. 18 – Stop & Shop in Stamford (Bedford St. 12:00 - 1:30)
- Sat. Jan. 18 – Stop & Shop in Darien (Noroton Heights 2:30 – 4:00)
- Sun. Jan 19 – Stop & Shop in Norwalk (Main Ave. 11:30 – 1:00)
- Sun. Jan 19 – Stop & Shop in Norwalk (CT Ave. 1:30 – 2:30)
- Sun. Jan 19 – Sound Tiger game at the Webster Bank Arena (3:00)
- Fri. Jan. 24 – Stop & Shop in Bridgeport (3:30 – 5:30)
- Sat. Jan. 25 – Stop & Shop in Milford (12:00 – 1:30)
- Sat. Jan. 25 – Stop & Shop in Stratford (2:30 – 4:00)
- Fri. Jan. 31 – Stop & Shop in Shelton (3:30 – 5:30)
- Sat. Feb. 1 – Stop & Shop in Trumbull (11:30 – 1:00)
- Sat. Feb. 1 – Stop & Shop in Monroe (1:30 – 2:30)
- Sat. Feb. 1 – Sound Tiger game at Webster Bank Arena (3:00)
- Sun. Feb. 2 – Chowdafest (11:00 – 3:00)
For additional information about Chowdafest, please visit www.chowdafest.org or email event director Jim Keenan at
chowdafest@optonline.net.
Chowdafest -all you NEED to know:
- When: Sunday Feb. 2, 2014
- Time: 11 AM – 3 PM
- Where: Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard, 600 Main St. Bridgeport
- Cost: $12.00 adults - $ 5.00 kids (6-12) - Kids 5 and under FREE -
$10.00 (adults) advanced tickets at New Haven & Ffld County Stop
& Shop locations
- Parking: $5
- Charity: Connecticut Food Bank. Canned donations gratefully accepted day of event
- Restaurants: (there are 28!):
Bernard's, Bistro 7, Brennan's Tap Room, Blue Lobster, Brewhouse,
Cask Republic, Close Harbour Seafood, Donovan's, Dunville's Ginger Man,
Guvnor's Brewery, High Tide Gourmet, Indigo by the Water Lenny &
Joe's Fish Tale, Liquid Lunch, Mansion Clam House Mecha Noodle, Old Post
Tavern, Parallel Post, Post 154, Rory's Restaurant at Rowayton Seafood,
Southport Brewing Co., Super Duper Weenie, Tavern on Main, The Spread,
Tikkaway and Wood 'n Tap
- Categories: Classic New England Clam Chowder, Traditional Chowder
(Manhattan & Rhode Island only) NEW: Creative Chowder, Soup &
Bisque
- Years: This is our 6th annual competition! 2013 Champs: Donovan's
(Norwalk – Classic New England), Ginger Man (Norwalk – Creative
Chowder), Crab Shell (Stamford – Soup & Bisque)
About Chowdafest: Chowdafest is the premier culinary competition
in CT and second largest such event in all of New England. It's an
annual fundraiser benefiting the CT Food Bank where attendees sample 32
decadent chowders, soups and bisque from 28 restaurants, then rate each
soup which determines the winners. Admission is just $12 adults and $5
for kids 6-12.
Chowdafest will be held Feb. 2, 2014 from 11am to 3pm at the Webster
Bank Arena at Harbor Yard conveniently off exit 27 on I-95 in
Bridgeport. This zero waste event is presented by Stop & Shop and
sponsored by The Farmer's Cow, FIAT of Fairfield County, World Centric,
Cracker Barrel, Sierra Nevada Brewery, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Chabaso
Artisan Bakery, Frontier Soups, Victoria Fine Foods, Westminster
Crackers, The Trumbull Marriott, Star 99.9, CT Bites.com, Omnon.com,
HamletHub.com, Sustainable America and Clarke, New England's Official
Sub-Zero & Wolf Showroom & Kitchen.