Kewaunee zoo raising funds with annual ZoupArt soup bowl sale, lunch

LUXEMBURG - For a seventh straight year, people can sample locally made soups, keep the bowls in which they're served and help a local zoo that's trying to grow.

ZoupArt, the annual February soup tasting event and student art show sponsored by the Zoological Society of Kewaunee County, takes place Sunday at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds, with all proceeds going to the society's Bruemmer Park Zoo in Kewaunee.

The zoo benefit has guests buy one of about 630 available decorated and glazed clay soup bowls for admission. Most of the bowls were created by public and parochial students in Kindergarten through 12th grade across the county, with the rest by local artists.

Guests then use the bowls to sample soups cooked up by 14 area restaurants, bar & grills and stores, along with nine soups entered by local home cooks. They then vote for their favorite soups in each category, with the winner among the restaurants earning an induction rethermalizer (which heats soups quickly without using water) donated by Vollrath Co. in Sheboygan and the top home cook winning an indoor/outdoor power smokeless grill.

Along with the student-created soup bowls, ZoupArt also features an art show from local schools. Raffles will be held with a variety of prizes.

Pam Zander, zoological society president and one of the event's founders, said last year's ZoupArt raised more than $4,000, down from previous years because of a blizzard that hit the day of the event. Before last year, funds raised by the event increased by about $1,000 a year since its inception, with a record of about $7,000 in 2018.

ZoupArt proceeds generally are earmarked for specific projects at the zoo. Last year's funds were used to complete a new goat and deer enclosure, while this year's money will be put toward a new pheasant exhibit and education and environmental center. It's one of two major annual zoo benefits, the other being Zoobilee, held each fall.

ZoupArt takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds, 625 Third St., Luxemburg. Admission is $10 which includes purchase of a clay bowl created by local students to use to sample locally cooked soups. All proceeds benefit Bruemmer Park Zoo, E4280 Kewaunee County F, Kewaunee, which is open from 7 a.m. to sunset daily with free admission. For more information, call 920-388-0444 or visit bruemmerparkzoo.com/zoupart.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press Gazette: Kewaunee zoo raising funds with annual ZoupArt soup bowl sale, lunch