Recipes are being refined and the stockpots are coming out of storage as restaurants gear up and get ready to go head-to-head in ArtsQuest’s Souper Bowl XIII. The annual culinary competition will take place noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 5, in the Musikfest Café, presented by Yuengling.

“We look forward to continuing this delicious tradition in 2023,” Ryan Hill, ArtsQuest senior director of programing said. “It’s always a pleasure to see the ingenuity of our area restaurants and the friendly competition that comes about at The Souper Bowl.”

Special VIP tickets for this year’s event include early admission for the first tastes of soup, a free drink ticket for any Yuengling beer, Franklin Hills Vineyards wine or soft drink and automatic entry into an exclusive VIP raffle for a chance to win tickets to upcoming ArtsQuest events.

Ticket prices will be subject to increase closer to event.

To purchase tickets to Souper Bowl XIII, visit steelstacks.org or call the ArtsQuest Box Office at 610-332-3378. For more exclusive ticket access and advance purchase opportunities, become an ArtsQuest Circle donor today.

Restaurants and caterers from throughout the region bring their tastiest soup creations to the Café and compete in categories such as cream-based, meat-based, most unique, seafood-based, vegan and of course the democratic people’s choice. Stay tuned for a list of this year’s participating culinary experts.

Souper Bowl XII champions:

People’s choice: Saucon Valley Country Club’s Braised Beef Short Rib

Best cream-based: Bethlehem AVTS’s Smokey Chicken Corn Chowder

Best meat-based: Saucon Valley Country Club’s Braised Beef Short Rib

Best seafood: Bethlehem AVTS’s Paella Soup

Most original: Bethlehem AVTS’s Chilled Strawberry Coconut Bourbon Soup

Most surprising ingredient: The Pomegranate Molasses in Forks Mediterranean Deli’s Mediterranean Vegetarian Soup