It’s soup sipping time.

The Waitaki Souper Soup Sipper returns next weekend, running from July 6 to 28.

The Waitaki District Council initiative first ran in September last year, with 18 participating cafes around Ōamaru.

Recognising soup is best when it’s cold, this year’s Souper Soup Sipper is running in the depths of winter, and goes beyond Ōamaru to the wider Waitaki District.

This year, 21 cafés and restaurants have submitted their creations for the three-week celebration of the little bowls of comfort.

New entrants outside of Ōamaru include Moeraki Boulders Café, The Fort Enfield, Otematata’s Best Dam Pub and The Flying Pig in Duntroon, while newcomers in Ōamaru include The Roost Café, Fat Sally’s and Columbus Café.

Almost all eateries in Ōamaru are taking part, but just to make sure, keep an eye out for the orange Waitaki Souper Soup Stickers in the windows of participating cafés and restaurants next month.

Council placemaking lead Cyndi Christensen says she is happy to see the event returning and to have more businesses across the district taking part.

“Waitaki is well known for its high-quality, locally-grown produce and I’m sure locals and visitors will enjoy sampling the new recipes on offer.”

The introduction of the Taste of the Waitaki passport this year, with vouchers to be won for those who sup on soup at five or more outlets over the three weeks, adds another incentive to customers.

“We are hoping this will encourage more people to explore the district and discover new places,” Cyndi says.

Criterion Hotel co-owner Katrina McLarin says it is great to see a variety of hospitality venues working together with a common goal of generating more business, especially during the “leaner” winter months.

“The bonus is the community gets to benefit from trying all these wonderful flavour combinations at different venues and locations around Waitaki.”

Fat Sally’s owner Kristin Murdoch says as relatively new business owners, having taken over 18 months ago, it is important to them to be active in the community.

“When I noticed that the Waitaki Souper Soup Sipper was returning, we wanted to get involved,” she says.

You can find your E-Passport to collect “stamps” for the Taste of the Waitaki in the Waitaki App next week.

If you try five or more of the soups on offer, you can go into the draw for a $30 voucher donated by each of the Souper Soup Sipper participating businesses.

There are 21 vouchers, with a total value of $630.00 to be won. The more stamps you collect, the more vouchers you can win.

Participants are also encouraged to grab a #soupselfie and tag Waitaki Souper Soup Sipper on Facebook, where you can find out more about the soups and their stories there too.