Trailhead Beer Garden will be hosting its second annual Pot O’ Hot Fest! “A Kerrville Crafted Soup Cook-off” on Saturday February 22nd from noon to 8pm.

“It's Kerrville's original celebration of hot soup in the cold season ,” says Jeremy Walther, owner of Trailhead.

Admission to four different live music performances is free throughout the day, Shim’s Be Blessed Food Truck will be serving all day, and Schreiner University’s Communication Design Department will have block printing demos inside the beer garden.

“Last year was a blast, and our design students have been talking about this event all semester”, says Schreiner Graphic Design professor Clay McClure. “We’ll be selling blank canvas tote bags, and a choice of 3 or 4 artist designs that can be printed on the totes while you watch. It’s a special opportunity to connect to local artists in a festival atmosphere.”

But the heart of the festival: good old homemade soup.

“The majority of Soup Makers from last year signed up again this year, with some new faces too”, says Walther. “We have several restaurants represented, including Otto’s in Fredericksburg and Valeria in Boerne. It’s a great group – in to their craft and into sharing it with their neighbors – with only the most wholesome kind of trash talking.”

A $1,000 cash prize purse will be shared among the top soup makers. Soup Taster tickets are $30 each, or $50 for a pair and $100 for five. Each Soup Taster receives a custom soup cup, 3oz samples of all 25 soups, and two voting cards for the Tasters Choice awards. A panel of 12 judges decides the top three soups in the juried award category.

Ingram ISD Superintendent Bobby Templeton will be returning this year as one of those judges. “Last year was too fun, I couldn’t miss a chance to do it again,” says Templeton.

Templeton joins Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, Fredericksburg City Councilwoman Emily Kirchner, Schreiner University professor Kiley Miller, Musician/Storyteller/Educator Clifton Fifer Jr., Habitat for Humanity’s Mary Campana, and other community leaders on the Judges panel.

“Participation last year was stellar. The Makers were incredible, the judges were pro, and we continue to get positive feedback from people who came out for music and soup”, says Walther.

A few improvements are planned for this year’s event.

“We’re increasing the cap on Soup Taster tickets from 150 to 250, adding a second cup rinse station, and our buddies at Altstadt Brewing are helping with a second beer tent to keep the beer lines short.”

Altstadt is joined by Kerrville’s Garrett Insurance and HCTC as sponsors for this year's soup cook-off. The full list of musical performers, Soup Makers, and other information will be updated on the Trailhead Beer Garden website – trailheadbeergarden.com.

Soup Taster tickets may be purchased on the website.
https://trailheadbeergarden.com/potohot

List of Judges:

Justin McClure (JAM Broadcasting)
Bobby Templeton (Ingram ISD)
Emily Kirchner (City Council, Fredericksburg)
Clifton Fifer, Jr. (Storyteller, Musician, Educator)
Rae Cardenas (Doyle Community Center)
Eric Maloney (City of Kerrville Fire Chief)
Larry Leitha (Kerr County Sheriff)
Kiley Miller (Schreiner University)
Tim Rye (Peterson Health)
Brenda Hughes (City Council, Kerrville)
Mackenzie Wade (Stillstone Design)
Mary Campana (Habitat for Humanity)