Newport, June 2017

A Great Summer Tradition

Seafood, especially chowder, has been a great tradition in Newport. There are several restaurants and joints in Newport that offer delicious chowder, but if you are visiting the area in summer, you can always head out to the Newport Great Chowder Cook-Off.

The Cook-Off has a great history, going back over three decades. It is the longest running chowder show in New England, and it is going strong for over 35 years now.

The show hosts competitors from New England as well as the rest of the US. This gives visitors a chance to taste a variety of chowders with all sorts of distinct ingredients. They can then vote for the best in the categories of Clam, Seafood, and Creative.

This year was the 36th annual Great Chowder Cook-Off on the afternoon of June 10th at Fort Adams. There was a 4th category introduced this year as well, Red Chowder. Here are the winners:

• Red Chowder Category – Bristol/Plymouth Regional Technical School (Taunton)
• White Chowder (Clam) Category – Open Season Catering (Warwick)
• Seafood Category – Nancy’s Barn (Ireland)
• Most Spirited Team Winner, and Best Decorated Booth Winner – The Chapel Grille, Cranston, RI

One of the main sponsors of the event was WPRI 12 station, which also provided the coverage. The festival had a great turnout as thousands attended to savor the amazing soups of national and international chefs.

The weather was also pleasant, which lent to the pleasurable experience of the attendees. It was described as a picturesque day, better than the people could have hoped for on the day of the competition.

The crowd was also entertained by various activities, as well as live music. So if you plan to visit Newport next summer, be sure to check out the Great Chowder Cook-off.

Fatima M.
Freelance Blogger