Calling all challengers for the Silver Tureen.
The 11th annual Wellness Festival is taking place in Peterborough this Saturday, Sept. 24, and once again will feature a competition for the region’s best soups, but will not be quite like past events.
“It’s the eleventh year so I guess it’s been around for a long time,” Dale Gabel, chairman of the festival, said.
Hosted by the Monadnock Rotary Club, based in Dublin, the event has usually taken place in various locations spread around downtown Peterborough. This year, Gabel looks forward to having it centralized at the Community Center on Elm Street.
The day will begin with a 5k walk to promote cardiovascular health at 8 a.m., before what Gabel described as the big three attractions begin at 9.
The first is exhibitions at the Community Center gymnasium. Various organizations, many associated with Monadnock Community Hospital, vendors and service providers will talk to festival-goers about their specialized ways to focus on improving health.
There will also be health screenings for people interested in their lung capacity, blood pressure or glucose level. Flu vaccinations will even be offered. “These help people understand the state of their health,” according to Gabel.
Finally, there is the soup event, where local restaurants and individuals compete for best soup and best presentation to bring home the Silver Tureen.
For people not interested in those festival staples, there is a bird watching walk at the MacDowell Dam, farmers market and Zumba and yoga classes being offered.
Gabel said, “People participate in these things and earn how to do them for health and wellness.”
Brandom Latham can be reached at blatham@ledgertranscript.com.