Souper Celebration

The Friends of Franklin County Public Libraries will be hosting a Souper Celebration: Soup, Bread & Book Sale at the Eastpoint Branch Library, 160 Hickory Dip Rd in Eastpoint FL on Saturday, January 21, 2023, from 10 am-2pm with delicious homemade soups, freshly baked artisan breads and baked goods, vintage books, live music, art and more. The proceeds from this event support the local library programs in Eastpoint and Carrabelle.

Local residents and businesses bring their delicious made-from-scratch soups like seafood gumbos, seafood bisques, chuck wagon chili, Brunswick stew, and more and freshly baked artisan breads for the Friends volunteers to sell. Past years featured a dozen different soups ranging from exotic to healthy to old-fashioned. The soups and breads sell out very fast so visitors are encouraged to come early to get the best selection. Vintage and used books and used DVDs for all ages are also available for purchase.

This event will also offer a focus on local culture and art, with live music from the “Ukulilies”. In addition local artists and artisans from the Carrabelle Artist Association and the SGI Quilters Group will be showcasing some of their stunning local art and goods. This is a family friendly event and all are welcome. For those unable to make this date, there will be another Souper Celebration on Saturday, February 18, from 10 am- 2pm at the Carrabelle Branch Library.

The Souper Celebration continues a legacy started by Jackie Gay back in 1998. In 1998, Jackie Gay, who was an avid supporter of the library, entered her delicious gumbo into the Newman’s Own and Good Housekeeping Recipe Contest. She won and was presented a check by Paul Newman for $50,000. She donated the proceeds to building the Carrabelle library. Today community volunteers honor Jackie Gay and continue her tradition by providing their own gumbos, soups, and chili to raise funds in support of the Franklin County libraries.

This year the community’s help is needed more than ever. Previously the Rock by the Sea event provided significant funding for the Franklin County library programs. This event has now relocated to Destin and will no longer be supporting local programs in Franklin County. More than ever donations of soups and baked good from individuals and businesses as well as event sponsors are needed to offset this significant loss of funding. Sign-up sheets for soup, bread, and baked goods will be in the Eastpoint and Carrabelle libraries. This funding supports library programs like the Summer Reading Program, Storytimes, ANIME Club, Book Chats, Lego Club and more. In addition, the Eastpoint library building is maintained by the Friends with a portion of the cost offset by funding from Franklin County government. The Friends of the Franklin County Public Libraries is a 501(c)(3) organization and most donations are tax-deductible.

Funded in part by the Franklin County Tourist Development Council. For more information or to make a donation, please contact the Friends of the Franklin County Public Libraries by email ffcplflorida@gmail.com,  or at https://friendsfcpl.com/events/ or https://www.facebook.com/ffcplfl.