Chowda

colt17 · 09-30-2010, 03:24 PM

is the Meredith Chowda Fest this weekend?

upthesaukee · 09-30-2010, 03:35 PM

According to the Calendar for October on this website, it's Sat & Sun.

jniff101 · 09-30-2010, 06:01 PM

I thought it was only Sunday?

Sunrise Point · 09-30-2010, 06:19 PM

According to today's Laconia Citizen:

On Sunday, taste and vote on chowders prepared by restaurants from throughout the Lakes Region at the 23rd annual Chowderfest on from noon to 3 p.m.

Organized by WLNH, the Chowderfest brings together local restaurants and the community in a fun and flavorful fall fundraiser to benefit the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. Held at Hesky Park in Meredith on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, this popular event draws people from near and far to sample chowders and vote on which restaurant will win the Lakes Region's Best Chowder title and claim the Chowder Bowl for the upcoming year.

It costs $5 to participate in Chowderfest. Funds raised from Chowderfest are donated each year to the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, a nonprofit organization founded in 1979 to safeguard the natural heritage of New Hampshire's Lakes Region.

The weather should be perfect for chowder. I can't wait.

upthesaukee · 09-30-2010, 06:42 PM

Craft fair is Sat and Sun. Chowderfest is Sun. My white cane tripped up my seeing eye dog and I couldn't see what I was reading.

colt17 · 10-04-2010, 08:24 AM

We were a little disappointed with the lack of restaurants participating in this year’s chowder fest. I think there were only 5 possible 6 restaurants in attendance. They filled the space with water companies, window companies and steel hill resort. Because of the lack of restaurants the lines were very long. The weather was perfect and the lake was very calm and the chowda that we did have was very good.

SAMIAM · 10-04-2010, 02:54 PM

The reason there are so few restaurants is strickly the cost, I'm sure. It costs a restaurant upwards of $1,000 between food and payroll to do the chowderfest and that's really a lot to ask considering there are so many other charities that are needing help. Just a sign of the times.

Winnigirl83 · 10-05-2010, 07:30 AM

Anyone know who won?

angela4design · 10-05-2010, 11:41 AM

The winner this year was the Christmas Island Steakhouse, with Weirs Beach Lobster Pound as the runner-up and the Lakehouse Grill at Church Landing at third (they were boiling the lobsters on-site, cracking open and throwing them fresh into the chowder)!!

They were all good. Lakeside Restaurant had good chowder, and people kept coming back for more, so they ran out just before the end. T-Bones had a little spicy kick to it, and Steele Hill's restaurant had a pretty traditional chowder. There was one window company and a roofing company that sponsored the event. A water company supplied flitered water, and the Conservation Trust had a great display. The lines were long at the beginning; they always are, even with more restaurants, but over 1,200 people were there, so that's a lot of people to get in and out of a tent!

SAMIAM's correct, it is quite an investment in people and product to compete. I've heard around $1,000 is the cost, as well. But, it is a great event for the town economy, the community, the restaurants get great exposure, and we get some yummy chowder to try!!

VitaBene · 10-05-2010, 06:50 PM

We went down to the Fest and had a great time. 15 of us went together arriving around 2 (my family for part of my parent's 50th weekend) and found a good crowd. It was not bad, just a few minutes in each line. I will definitely bring my own full size plastic spoon next year!

All of the chowders were good and represented their respective restaurants well. Christmas Island was my favorite. I chatted with the owners/staff about the winter and they said they are new operators and will be open through the winter ( I think I will start a separate Christmas Island thread).

I saw Angela and said hi and also saw forum member Natt who volunteered his dump truck as the mobile dumpster.

The craft fair across the road at Mill's falls was a good take as well.

09-30-2010, 03:24 PM	#1
colt17 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hollis NH/Laconia Posts: 132 Thanks: 62 Thanked 17 Times in 12 Posts	Chowda is the Meredith Chowda Fest this weekend?

09-30-2010, 03:35 PM	#2
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	Yes According to the Calendar for October on this website, it's Sat & Sun. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

09-30-2010, 06:42 PM	#5
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	My bad Craft fair is Sat and Sun. Chowderfest is Sun. My white cane tripped up my seeing eye dog and I couldn't see what I was reading. __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

10-04-2010, 08:24 AM	#6
colt17 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hollis NH/Laconia Posts: 132 Thanks: 62 Thanked 17 Times in 12 Posts	Disappointing We were a little disappointed with the lack of restaurants participating in this year’s chowder fest. I think there were only 5 possible 6 restaurants in attendance. They filled the space with water companies, window companies and steel hill resort. Because of the lack of restaurants the lines were very long. The weather was perfect and the lake was very calm and the chowda that we did have was very good.

10-05-2010, 11:41 AM	#9
angela4design Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Meredith Posts: 353 Thanks: 45 Thanked 54 Times in 38 Posts	the rankings... The winner this year was the Christmas Island Steakhouse, with Weirs Beach Lobster Pound as the runner-up and the Lakehouse Grill at Church Landing at third (they were boiling the lobsters on-site, cracking open and throwing them fresh into the chowder)!! They were all good. Lakeside Restaurant had good chowder, and people kept coming back for more, so they ran out just before the end. T-Bones had a little spicy kick to it, and Steele Hill's restaurant had a pretty traditional chowder. There was one window company and a roofing company that sponsored the event. A water company supplied flitered water, and the Conservation Trust had a great display. The lines were long at the beginning; they always are, even with more restaurants, but over 1,200 people were there, so that's a lot of people to get in and out of a tent! SAMIAM's correct, it is quite an investment in people and product to compete. I've heard around $1,000 is the cost, as well. But, it is a great event for the town economy, the community, the restaurants get great exposure, and we get some yummy chowder to try!!

09-30-2010, 06:01 PM	#3
jniff101 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Moultonboro Posts: 113 Thanks: 23 Thanked 18 Times in 12 Posts	I thought it was only Sunday?

09-30-2010, 06:19 PM	#4
Sunrise Point Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Meredith Center / Winnisquam Posts: 250 Thanks: 87 Thanked 34 Times in 21 Posts	According to today's Laconia Citizen: On Sunday, taste and vote on chowders prepared by restaurants from throughout the Lakes Region at the 23rd annual Chowderfest on from noon to 3 p.m. Organized by WLNH, the Chowderfest brings together local restaurants and the community in a fun and flavorful fall fundraiser to benefit the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. Held at Hesky Park in Meredith on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, this popular event draws people from near and far to sample chowders and vote on which restaurant will win the Lakes Region's Best Chowder title and claim the Chowder Bowl for the upcoming year. It costs $5 to participate in Chowderfest. Funds raised from Chowderfest are donated each year to the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, a nonprofit organization founded in 1979 to safeguard the natural heritage of New Hampshire's Lakes Region. The weather should be perfect for chowder. I can't wait.

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to upthesaukee For This Useful Post:
RailroadJoe (10-01-2010), RI Swamp Yankee (10-01-2010)

10-04-2010, 02:54 PM	#7
SAMIAM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 2,836 Thanks: 326 Thanked 1,626 Times in 562 Posts	The reason there are so few restaurants is strickly the cost, I'm sure. It costs a restaurant upwards of $1,000 between food and payroll to do the chowderfest and that's really a lot to ask considering there are so many other charities that are needing help. Just a sign of the times.

10-05-2010, 07:30 AM	#8
Winnigirl83 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 112 Thanks: 38 Thanked 28 Times in 10 Posts	Anyone know who won?

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to angela4design For This Useful Post:
Jonas Pilot (10-05-2010), Sunrise Point (10-05-2010)

10-05-2010, 06:50 PM	#10
VitaBene Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 3,531 Thanks: 1,570 Thanked 1,604 Times in 822 Posts	Good time We went down to the Fest and had a great time. 15 of us went together arriving around 2 (my family for part of my parent's 50th weekend) and found a good crowd. It was not bad, just a few minutes in each line. I will definitely bring my own full size plastic spoon next year! All of the chowders were good and represented their respective restaurants well. Christmas Island was my favorite. I chatted with the owners/staff about the winter and they said they are new operators and will be open through the winter ( I think I will start a separate Christmas Island thread). I saw Angela and said hi and also saw forum member Natt who volunteered his dump truck as the mobile dumpster. The craft fair across the road at Mill's falls was a good take as well.