Empty Bowl event today benefits Northland food bank

• Checking out the bowls

Kirsten Grove of Loveland, Colo., and her 1-year-old son, Fredereck, look at one of the many bowls at the Sea of Bowls on Monday. (Bob King / rking@duluthnews.com)

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People looking for a meal, a work of art and a way to help others can find all three at today’s 19th annual Empty Bowl event at the Duluth Depot.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $20 until 4 p.m., $15 after that. Participants are able to choose a handcrafted ceramic bowl; dine on donated soup, bread and beverages; and be entertained by musicians and school and community choral groups.

All proceeds from Empty Bowl benefit Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, which annually provides 4.2 million pounds of food — enough for 3.3 million meals — to more than 200 nonprofit organizations across the region. In recent years Empty Bowl has grossed close to $60,000 annually for Second Harvest. Since its first year — when Empty Bowl raised $9,000 — the event has raised $686,428 for Second Harvest.

Potters — working individually and through the Duluth Art Institute, Lake Superior College and other area schools — produce 2,500 to 2,800 bowls for the event each year.

In addition to today’s event at the Depot, an online auction of several special bowls continues until 3 p.m. Wednesday. So far, the auction has raised more than $2,200, with several bidders selecting the “buy now” option. People interested in that auction or in learning more about Second Harvest or Empty Bowl can go to northernlakesfoodbank.org.

Although Empty Bowl is in its 19th year, many people do not understand everything about the event, Second Harvest Executive Director Shaye Moris said. Among the things she wants people to know are: