Everything You Need To Know For The 2026 Williamsville Soup Stroll

Soup season is here, and if you're a huge fan of all kinds of soups, there's a huge event coming up in Williamsville that is also for a great cause.

The Williamsville Soup Stroll Is Back For 2026

Since 2018, Williamsville has been doing what they call the Williamsville Soup Stroll to help raise money for FeedMore WNY. It's an event that is fashioned after the Saratoga Springs Chowderfest, where participating restaurants and retail stores that have teamed up with restaurants, will offer a sample of a soup that they create. People can purchase a small cup of the soup for $2 per cup, and the proceeds go to a number of charities including FeedMore WNY, Trinity Food Bank, and Sleep In Heavenly Peace. There will be more charities added as the event gets closer.

Where and when is the Soup Stroll?

They always hold the Soup Stroll on the last Saturday in February. This year, it will be on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

They will start serving at noon and will go until they run out of soup or 3pm, whichever comes first. The last couple of years many of the restaurants have run out of soup very close to the end of the event, so this isn't one that you'll want to wait to go to.

It involves restaurants up and down Main Street in the village of Williamsville.

What you need to know about the Williamsville Soup Stroll

If this is your first time going, here are some things you might want to know:

• Anyone can join in. It is a very family-friendly event.
• You'll want to be sure to have good boots or shoes on, as you will have to walk up and down Main Street in Williamsville. As the name suggests, you will stroll from restaurant to restaurant.
• You don't need reservations because you don't really sit down. You simply get in line at the door. As you walk in, you'll see someone there dishing out soup. You don't have to eat them all, and you only pay for the ones you choose to try.
• Bring lots of singles. While we haven't ever had trouble getting change while we were there, it makes it easier on the people who are serving if you can have singles to hand them.
• Watch the weather and dress accordingly. This event is held in the winter, and you don't often spend a lot of time indoors.

Why are they doing it?

There are a couple of reasons that restaurants do it.  First, it's for a good cause. The Soup Stroll raised over $13,000 last year for charities in and around Western New York. Second, it's great for Williamsville. To have people come and see the shops and restaurants up and down Main Street is good for everyone's business. Third, it's for bragging rights. There are three celebrity judges (Dave Greber/WIVB, Rob Banks/WYRK, and Terry Greiner/Attorney) who will be judging the soups and looking for their favorites, along with a People's Choice award that is decided by the public by scanning a QR code. The winner gets the soup trophy and bragging rights for one year.