UCAN Food Bank's Empty Bowls Dinner Returns October 5
UCAN Food Bank will bring back its Empty Bowls Dinner on October 5, featuring handcrafted bowls, soup, silent auctions and community support for local food access. A Throwback Challenge is also underway through September 15.
ROSEBURG, Ore. - Handcrafted bowls, locally made soup and an evening focused on helping feed Douglas County families will come together this fall as UCAN Food Bank brings back its annual Empty Bowls Dinner.
The 2026 event is scheduled for Monday, October 5, with community members invited to gather for an evening of food, art, live music and fundraising in support of the food bank.
Empty Bowls is one of UCAN Food Bank's signature fundraising events. Each guest gets to choose a handcrafted bowl made locally, then use it to sample soups prepared by restaurants and chefs from around Douglas County. Artisan breads and local wines will also be served.
UCAN says the evening is designed to bring community members, businesses and organizations together while raising money to help address food insecurity in the area.
Several participating chefs and restaurants have already been announced, including:
- Shanti's Indian Cuisine
- Alexander's Greek Cuisine
- McMenamins Station Pub & Brewery
- UCAN's Feeding Umpqua
- Little Brother's Pub
UCAN says more participants will be added as the event gets closer.
The handcrafted bowls are a central part of the event, with each one serving as both a piece of local art and a reminder of the purpose behind the fundraiser.
Community members can also help create bowls for this year's dinner. Over the Hill Ceramics, located at 400 SE Lane Avenue in Roseburg, is offering bowls to paint for $10 to $18. The business is covering the cost of paint and kiln firing so completed bowls can be donated to the Empty Bowls Dinner. Group painting opportunities are available on the first Thursday and second Saturday of each month through September.
UCAN is also offering several sponsorship levels for businesses and organizations interested in supporting the fundraiser. According to UCAN, sponsorship contributions can represent funding for thousands of meals, with its top sponsorship level described as providing the equivalent of 18,000 meals for families in need.
Ahead of the dinner, UCAN has launched an Empty Bowls Throwback Challenge encouraging people who have attended in previous years to share photos of their favorite handcrafted bowls. The challenge runs through September 15, with multiple winners expected to receive gift cards to local businesses.
Ticket sales and additional details for the October 5 dinner will be announced later.
More information about the event, bowl painting and sponsorship opportunities is available through UCAN at ucancap.org/empty-bowls-dinner/.
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