What: 11th Annual Cajun Fest

Where: Between Ninth and 10th on Ohio Street.

When: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday

Admission: $7 presale ticket at Market Street, United Supermarkets, 8th Street Coffee House, Downtown Wichita Falls Development Office, Sheppard Air Force ITT Office and online. Kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are $10 at the gate.

Info: (940) 322-4525 or http://downtownproud.com/event/cajun-fest

 

The 11th annual Downtown Wichita Falls Development, Inc.’s downtown Cajun Fest will add a number of new fun things this year to the successful festival that brought in 5,000 people in 2017.

“We’re rebranding with a new logo,” said Jeanette Charos, DWFD marketing director. “We will start earlier this year, at 11 a.m. because of our big lunch crowd and the festival will end at 8.”

The festival is also moving a little to the north. “Typically, we’ve had it at Farmer’s Market,” Charos said, “but we’re moving it to Ohio Street between 9th and 10th. We will also use Bud Daniel Park.”

And while the Farmer’s Market is usually closed that day of the Cajun Fest, it will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p. m. she said. 

DWFD is adding a Tail-Gator party that will consist of games like Corn Hole, Ladder Golf, Jumbo Jenga and Trashket Ball. “A ton of little games that people can play. Corn Hole is where you throw the bags through the elevated wood platforms, and Jumbo Jenga is like Jenga with bigger pieces.”

The main attraction of Cajun Fest continues to be the seafood, and thaey will have it in spades. “We will have all the Cajun favorites, a few thousand pounds of crawfish, etouffe, jambalaya, boudin and gumbo.”  

The seafood will be prepared by different groups, including the Elks Lodge and The Redneck Culinary Academy, who will be set up like food vendors and people can purchase from them. individually.

The Gumbo Cookoff also returns to Cajun Fest after being absent for several years. A total of 15 individual and corporate teams will vie for prizes. There is a $250 cash prize for individuals and a $250 donation to the charity of their choice for corporate teams.

“We will also have a people’s choice award where people can sample gumbo and vote for their favorite one. Samples are free and it will run most of the day,” she said.

In addition to seafood, there will also be American favorites like hamburgers and hotdogs.

Live music will run beginning at 11:30 a.m. with the Chris Shackelford Band and then at 1 p.m., Gregg Martinez (formerly of Archer City); 3:15 p.m., Dr. Zog; and 5:30 p.m., Waylon Thibodeaux.

Long-time Cajun Fest guest, Gator Country Rescue Farm (Beaumont, Texas) will return to do two nature shows featuring a variety of snakes, turtles, crocodiles and alligators. The show is free, but they charge to take pictures with the reptiles, she said.

“Our kids’ area will be free,” Charos said,” so they can come and play in the bounce houses and ride the rides for free. We are trying to make it more of a family event.” 

Proceeds from the event go to DWFD programs and projects. “It’s a good time to come down with friends and family,” she said, “and eat a bunch and then dance it off!”