LAPLACE — Twenty-seven food vendors including restaurants, catering services and community outreach groups will serve a variety of andouille-based dishes and other Cajun favorites Friday through Sunday at the 44th annual Andouille Festival, located at 2900 U.S. 51 in LaPlace.

In honor of the Festival’s namesake, vendors will sell andouille egg rolls, smothered rabbit and andouille poboys, andouille sausage sliders and andouille gumbo, among other food items highlighting local culture.

Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse and Restaurant has been an Andouille Festival staple for many years, according to co-owner Jarred Zeringue. Rather than focusing solely on selling hot dishes, Zeringue plans to run the booth as he would a shop and offer jarred items in addition to cooked meals.

“We have salsas, dry mixes and other things people can bring home and use to create their own smoked dishes,” Zeringue said.

Guests can expect to find smoked sausage, tasso, pork snack sticks, jerky, hot sauce, pickled vegetables and seasoning mixes at the Wayne Jacobs booth.

“We’re excited to showcase our products there and let people take some of the Festival home with them,” Zeringue said.

Wayne Jacobs Smokehouse has been in LaPlace since 1950 and includes a restaurant, a store and homemade dishes made from locally grown ingredients. Over the years, the restaurant has been recognized locally and nationally, most recently by the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.

Other vendors, including the Knights of Columbus Ascension of Our Lord Council 9623 and Fusion Outreach, aren’t based in the restaurant industry but are selling delicious food items to fund charitable work within St. John the Baptist Parish.

The Knights of Columbus will sell andouille jambalaya, andouille meat pies and seafood pies at the Festival.

Membership chairman and fundraising co-chairman Larry Larousse said the Knights are founded in Catholic faith and advocate for families, the poor, the church and the community through outreach projects.

The group, which is one of many Councils, recently traveled to Texas to cook hot meals for victims of Hurricane Harvey. Proceeds from the Andouille Festival food sale will fund future projects, including hurricane relief and scholarships for St. John Parish youth.

“This gives us another opportunity for a fundraiser and an avenue for our charitable works,” Larousse said. “We’re looking forward to meeting more people and socializing.”

Fusion Youth Outreach, a youth empowerment program spearheaded by the Victorious Life Family Worship Center in LaPlace, is also selling food dishes as a fundraiser to continue supporting children and teens in the River Parishes.

Pastor Renita Jackson Graber said the group is selling chicken and andouille gumbo, barbecue shrimp and turkey necks with corn, potatoes and sausage at the Festival.

“The Andouille Festival is a major fundraiser to support our program and inspire hope and purpose into children’s lives,” Graber said.

“We are asking people to come and patronize the booth because proceeds go straight to the children.”

This is Fusion Youth Outreach’s fourth year participating as a vendor. Graber said they’ve had great community support in the past and have had the opportunity to learn which dishes the public responds best to.

Other dishes available at the Festival this year include Louisiana favorites such as crawfish monica, stuffed bell peppers, fried alligator, bacon wrapped shrimp and more.

An andouille eating contest will take place Saturday afternoon, and samples from the chicken and andouille gumbo cook-off will be available to the public Saturday evening so they may vote for the People’s Choice winner.

For more information on the Andouille Festival food lineup, call the St. John Parish Office at 985-652-9569 or visit andouillefestival.com.

— By Brooke Robichaux