Chili Bowl fundraiser in Sonoma on Feb. 25

A few tickets are still available.|

Fresh out of a 2,400 degree glaze kiln, 700 handmade bowls will deck the tables on Saturday, Feb. 25, as the Sonoma Community Center presents its annual Chili Bowl Express fundraiser. Artists at the Center have been busy since October throwing on the potter’s wheel and hand building unique, one-of-a-kind chili bowls in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Twenty Sonoma restaurants, chefs, and businesses are on board to participate.

More than 700 handcrafted artisanal chili bowls are being made for the event. Attendees fill their bowls with a choice of homemade chili by one of Sonoma’s chefs.

Kala Stein, the Community Center’s director of ceramics, says, “A fundraising effort like this highlights the exuberance and graciousness of the Sonoma Valley. We collaborate to create an amazing community experience that is supported by something I like to describe as Sonoma’s Creative Community.”

Local chefs and restaurants participating include the Girl and the Fig, Spread Catering, Sonoma Golf Club, Woodfired Napa, Madrone Estate Winery, Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar, Sonoma Valley Grange and Ramekins.

Beverages for purchase are provided by Madrone Estate Winery, who will be pouring Lake Sonoma and Valley of the Moon wines, beer from Lagunitas Brewing Company and organic cider from Nana Mae’s.

There are three seatings on Feb. 25, at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 5pm.

Tickets are $25-$30 and are on sale now at sonomacommunitycenter, over the phone at 938-4626 x 1, or at the door.

The tickets includes choice of bowl and choice of chili plus corn bread, live music, ceramics demonstrations and tours, a ceramics exhibition, coffee, tea and light desserts. There will also be a silent auction of art, culinary and wine items including a private ceramics lesson for six, wine-tasting packages from Kunde, Ledson, Mayo, Landmark, VJB, and locally made art items including four large-scale garden totems made by the studio members at the Center.

Last year, the fundraiser launched efforts to purchase a new and improved community kiln, which was ordered in August after a steady year of fundraising.

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