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October 9, 2019
Chackbay’s Louisiana Gumbo Festival returns this Friday for its 48th year. Thousands will flood the Chackbay Fairgrounds, 326 La. Highway 304, to indulge in three days full of music, carnival rides and, of course, a whole lot of gumbo!
“We’re happy that we’ve made to 48 years, of course. We’ve continued to improve and the festival has grown over the years,” the festival’s director Joshua Falgoust said. “We’re happy to see where it is right now.”
In addition to the nearly 500 gallons of gumbo volunteers cook during the festival, there will be other delicious foods served, including jambalaya, fried fish, shrimp creole, hamburgers, alligator sausage and much more. Soft drinks, beer, premium liquors, daiquiris and the area’s own “Chackbay Chiller” cocktail will be available for sale as well.
The three-day event will have an assortment of amusement rides the whole family can enjoy. Pay One Price Advanced Weekend Armbands are $55.00 each, plus a processing fee, and can be purchased here. They are available for sale until 4 p.m. on Friday; the armbands are $65 each if purchased at the festival. Individual session armbands are $25 each and are sold at the festival.
Some big local acts will be rockin’ the stage at the festival. Gyth Rigdon from “The Voice”, Chee Weez, 90 Degrees West and Kerry Thibodaux, among other big talents, will entertain guests during the event. More information about the artists and the Gumbo Festival’s full music lineup can be found at https://www.lagumbofest.com/music.html.
The festival opens at 6 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday — following the annual parade that starts at 10:30 a.m. on La. Highway 304 and ends at fairgrounds.
There will be a live auction on Sunday afternoon, too.
Festivalgoers can put in the Uber promotional code E9wo4pc to receive a $10 credit — which can be used multiple times throughout the weekend — on each ride to and from the event.
The weekend’s full schedule can be viewed here.
The proceeds from the Gumbo Festival support the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department (CVFD). The funding supports approximately 60 percent of the department’s annual budget, said Falgoust, who is also the CVFD fire chief.
“It’s definitely a good event because you get to see your friends and your neighbors and it is all for a good cause,” Falgoust said. “Your support of the festival comes back to you in return with the fire department getting funding and returning those services back to you.”
