Ceramicists Amy Chase, Jason Burnett and Steven Cheek decided we needed a way to highlight handmade pottery in town. The result is the Southern Crossings Pottery Festival. Its inaugural features two events. The pottery market part of SXPF features work for sale by nine ceramic artists: Kyle Carpenter, Jim Gottuso, David Kenton Kring, Didem Mert, Lindsay Oesterritter and Amelia Stamps, plus the SXPF cofounders. If you are someone who must be first for everything, there’s a VIP Sneak Preview & First Pick from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, March 2. The tickets cost $25. For the public, the opening reception is also on Friday from 6-9 p.m., with the festival continuing Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admittance is free both days. Part two of the festival is a benefit for Empty Bowls on March 3 at PLAY Louisville, 1101 E. Washington St., from 5:30-8:30 p.m. It costs $10 for soup or $30 for the soup in a handmade ceramic bowl. All the proceeds go to A Recipe to End Hunger.