The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser is returning for its 22nd year in February, and this year all the proceeds will support One City Peterborough’s daily meal program at Trinity Community Centre.
This year’s fundraiser dedicated to addressing hunger in the community takes place from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Friday, February 27 at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
“Our kitchen serves over 250 meals each day, and last year alone provided over 93,000 meals to members of our community,” reads a statement from One City Peterborough. “The need continues to grow, and this event plays a meaningful role in helping us meet it.”
Empty Bowls, a grassroots movement by artists and crafts people in cities around the world to care for and feed the hungry in their communities, first came to Peterborough in 2003 when Karen Hjort-Jensen, then director of housing of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, brought forward the concept and began the partnership with the Kawartha Potters Guild.
Over two decades, the event has helped raise more than $210,000 for YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s Nourish Project, developed out of the Peterborough Community Food Network when its members decided there was a need to address the gaps in food access, production, consumption, and knowledge in the city and county of Peterborough.
However, YWCA Peterborough Haliburton was forced to end the community food initiative on March 31, 2025 due to inadequate funding. As a result, proceeds from last year’s Empty Bowls fundraiser were used to support food insecurity programs at One City Peterborough and Kawartha Food Share — a decision the YWCA made after consulting with the Kawartha Potters Guild, which has donated bowls every year to the fundraiser.
This year, One City Peterborough will partner with Kawartha Potters Guild to present the event for the first time, with Cornerstone Family Dentistry returning once again as presenting sponsor.
As with the previous fundraisers, purchasing a ticket means you will be able to select a handmade artisanal bowl of your choice from a wide selection made by members of the Kawartha Potters Guild, while also sampling a wide range of food donated by local restaurants.
This year’s participating restaurants are Hanoi House, St. Veronus, The Vine, La Mesita Restaurante, Hard Winter Bakery, By the Bridge, The Food Shop, Sam’s Place, Love You Mean It, and Ashburnham Ale House.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction featuring a selection of special bowls.
A VIP early entry ticket is available for $75 for those who want first choice of a bowl and first access to the food selection, with entry one hour before the event opens at 12:30 p.m. for those with general admission tickets, which cost $60.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.onecityptbo.ca/emptybowls.
