Inaugural St. Martinville Catfish Festival To Benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

The St. Martinville Catfish Festival is scheduled for Nov. 8-10, which will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“Not only were we wanting to show off Louisiana culture, Louisiana experience, and just how everybody can come together,” organizer Jeff Bigelow said, “but we wanted to do it for a reason. And St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital is one of the best.”

The family-friendly festival will feature 20 performances from an array of Louisiana musicians who include Cedric Watson, Percy Sledge, A Funk Band Named Machete and Cupid. Contests are scheduled for “Best Fried Catfish” and “Best Catfish Dish,” and the festival will also host the first-ever Food Truck Cookoff.

Proceeds from the event, including those from a silent auction featuring Louisiana-made crafts, will go toward fulfilling the festival’s $25,000 pledge to St. Jude’s.

“It takes a small army to keep this thing moving,” Bigelow said, urging interested volunteers to visit stmartincatfishfestival.com or facebook.com/StMartinvilleCatfishFestival.