The gumbo pots are fired up in Bridge City.
The 2009 Bridge City Gumbo Festival opens this evening at 6 o'clock.
There's good reason that Bridge City has been officially proclaimed 'The Gumbo Capital of the World.'
"Gumbo says love. And who loves more gumbo than we do?" asks entertainment director Warren Deemer.
Bridge City's 'world famous' gumbo is cooked daily at the festival grounds and over 2000 gallons will be prepared for visitors during the festival. "We have both chicken and sausage gumbo, and we have seafood gumbo," says Deemer.
And lots more. "If you can name it and it's festival food, we'll have it," he says.
Listen to Don Ames' conversation with Deemer:
A variety of other native Louisiana treats like jambalaya and New Orleans style red beans and rice with sausage will be served up. Also, homemade cakes and candies.
Continuous live entertainment and a fais-do-do area provide a focal point for the festival’s outdoor activities.
The festival prides itself in featuring the top local talent. "We don't bring in the nationals because we want to keep it as a hometown, family oriented operation," Deemer says.
The music runs the gamut, from Cajun to country...zydeco, jazz, blues and rock. "Swamp, pop and Cajun," as Deemer puts it.
There are also plenty of carnival rides. Admission is one dollar and the parking's free.
Located on the west bank of the Mississippi River directly across the Huey P. Long Bridge from New Orleans, the Gumbo Festival is held at Gumbo Festival Park on Angel Square, 1701 Bridge City Avenue. Festival grounds open at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening, 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. on Sunday morning. Closing time is approximately 11:00 p.m. each night.
For more information, click on the following link:
http://www.hgaparish.org/gumbofestival.htm
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