LAPLACE — The 44th annual St. John the Baptist Parish Andouille Festival will feature a weekend full of music, food, crafts and family-friendly events Oct. 13-15 at the Thomas F. Daley Memorial Park on U.S. 51 in LaPlace.

The music lineup for this year’s Festival includes Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Mojeaux, Faith Becnel and the Music Krewe, Catch 22, Gina Brown & Anutha Level, Four Unplugged, Changing Times Band, DJ Captain Charles, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Phat Hat and Chee Weez.

Twenty-seven food vendors are slated to attend, offering culinary favorites including but not limited to andouille gumbo, jambalaya, seafood, barbecue and various desserts.

The Andouille Festival will be open to the public 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to midnight Oct. 15 and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 16. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children ages 3-12, but on Oct. 13, adults can get in for $1 and children free of cost with the donation of at least one canned good.

Food donations will be shipped to Texas to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims, according to Baileigh Rebowe Helm, director of communications for St. John Parish.

Oct. 14 events include a chicken and andouille gumbo cook-off beginning at 9 a.m. Chefs must sign up beforehand at andouillefestival.com and bring all supplies and ingredients to prepare gumbo on-site in the Gumbo Village near the front entrance of the Festival.

Chefs will serve their gumbo to judges at 4:45 p.m., and winners will be announced at 5 p.m. First place wins $300, second place is awarded $200, third place receives $100 and the People’s Choice winner, voted on by the audience, gets an Andouille monogrammed cooking spoon from Roussel’s Welding.

West St. John High School culinary students will host cooking demonstrations at noon and 2 p.m. Oct. 14.

Also on Oct. 14, a “Dang” Douille eating contest will be open to the community at 1 p.m., no registration required.

At 8 a.m. Oct. 15, the 39th annual five-mile Andouille Run and two-mile run/walk will take place on Festival grounds, and proceeds will benefit Keep St. John Beautiful.

Oct. 15 events also include a second-line parade at 1 p.m. with local dance teams, bands and cheerleaders, followed by the opening of a gospel tent featuring music from Evangelist Lemmie Battles from 2 to 6 p.m.

The gospel tent will be utilized as a Fan Zone Oct. 14 and 15, where people can stop by to watch football or simply check the game scores on six 50-inch plus big screen TVs and two projectors.

Throughout the weekend, families can enjoy face painting, canvas painting, dance performances, live music and a talent show at the kid’s tent. Pony rides, pig races and a petting zoo will also be available on-site.

Those looking to shop can peruse 23 craft vendor tents or buy andouille, hot sauce, official T-shirts, bug spray, ponchos and more at the General Store on festival grounds.

Director of Economic Development Jerry W. Jones Jr. said the Andouille Festival has expanded significantly over the years, and the current focus is on continuing to develop and improve the attractions while also preserving the history of the parish.

“This year, we’re trying to partner with local people instead of inviting celebrities to host things like cooking demonstrations,” Jones said.  “It’s important to tell our own story and our own history. We don’t want to lose focus of that.”

For more information about Andouille Festival events or to sign up for the Gumbo Cook-off or Andouille Run, visit andouillefestival.com.

— By Brooke Robichaux