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Shelton's Soupstock VIII Unveils Stellar Musical Lineup

SHELTON, Conn. — It’s official: A full slate of bands has been announced for Soupstock VIII, a two-day festival of art, music, food and crafts on the spacious green at Veteran Memorial Park in downtown Shelton.

Jamaica's own Skatalites are among the headliners for Soupstock VIII in Shelton this June.

Jamaica's own Skatalites are among the headliners for Soupstock VIII in Shelton this June.

Photo Credit: Facebook
Soupstock is coming to Shelton June 10 and 11.

Soupstock is coming to Shelton June 10 and 11.

Photo Credit: Facebook
Bella's Bartok will play Soupstock VIII in Shelton.

Bella's Bartok will play Soupstock VIII in Shelton.

Photo Credit: Facebook

The fundraiser’s headliners for the June 10-11 event include Particle and The Skatalites, as well as Bella’s Bartok and Sophistafunk. You can also jam along to Yes, Darling with Ryan Montbleau and Hayley Jane, Alpaca Gnomes, Goose, Shwizz, Elise Testone & The BRYAC Funk AllStars, Hubinger Street, Hitch & The GiddyUp, The Van Burens and more.

And don’t forget what puts the soup in Soupstock. The main event is the two-day, 8th annual pro/am soup cookoff. Your festival admission gives you a pass to try — and try again, if you like — all the amazing concoctions brought to you by professional chefs and amateur kitchen wizards alike.

Still hungry? Stay for Sunday’s 4th annual chili cookoff.

The competition tent will be open from 12 to 5 p.m. each day, but you might want to get there early, as some competitors run out of top contenders.

Last year’s soup champ was a steaming clam chowder by BRYAC Restaurant and Raw Bar of Bridgeport. Shelton’s own Common Bond Market took the chili honors with a white bean variety.

Soupstock’s Artisan Gallery features a slew of craftsman, many of them local. And we’re not just talking rows of jewelry tables. This diverse group features blacksmiths and glass blowers, among other things.

Dozens of craft vendors will be on hand for more shopping, including T-shirts, jewelry, candles, cookies, jams and custom-made hula hoops.

So what’s it all for?

Soupstock is a benefit for The MAS Turtle Shell Fund, a public charity started by the grandchildren of Mary Anne Schmecker, a ceramics instructor at the Shelton Boys and Girls Club, who also ran a studio at the Shelton Senior Center before her passing in 2008.

The Turtle Shell Fund continues Schmecker’s legacy by letting community members explore their creative talents through scholarships, mentor/apprenticeships, programs, classroom experiences and lessons in the arts, music and artisan crafts.

Admission to Soupstock is $15 a day, with kids 12 and under admitted free. For tickets, hours and information, visit www.soupstockfestival.org.

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