GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) — Hundreds of gallons of gumbo were served in downtown Gulfport during the fourth annual Gumbo Fest, drawing what was believed to be the largest crowd in the event’s history.
Teams lined 14th Street as thousands of festivalgoers sampled gumbo from more than 26 competing teams. Sixty-three vendors also lined the nearby greenway, a significant jump from the previous year.
“Last year, we had around 15 competing teams and about 19 vendors. This year we have more than 26 competing teams and more than 63 vendors. It has grown drastically over the past year,” said Kristen Garriga.
Teams began cooking their roux around 7 a.m., with samples ready for the lunchtime crowd. Several Gulf Coast cities entered teams to compete for the Mayor’s Cup, including Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Long Beach, Ocean Springs and Gulfport.
Gulfport received the most votes from festivalgoers, winning the Mayor’s Cup.
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Competitor Rusty Noel said no two bowls of gumbo are the same, with each bowl reflecting its maker’s background.
“Gumbo to us is a tradition. Gumbo was whatever you had left or whatever you could grab from your garden. They made it in there and made something out of it. It’s a traditional dish and we take pride in that,” Noel said.
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