The Stir Da Roux Gumbo Cook-Off will have a judging panel to select winners who will receive cash prizes and trophies. The cook-off will also include a Mayor's Cup, where municipal and county government teams will vie for bragging rights for who can cook the best gumbo!

Details

Each team can have up to four team members. Teams will be responsible for any ingredients, meats, and seafood for their entries. Municipal and county government teams will be supplied with seafood and do not compete in the main event. 

Alcoholic beverages will be available for sale in the event area. No alcoholic beverages are allowed to be brought into the event. Anyone found to be in violation will be asked to remove the alcohol from the event. A second violation may result in disqualification and removal from the event. 

Each team will have a designated team captain. The team captain is responsible for:

  • Submitting a gumbo sample for judging in the specified container.

  • Ensuring team compliance with all rules

  • Ensuring safe food handling

  • Ensuring that all team members conduct themselves in a manner that promotes a safe, fun, and appropriate event.

Booth & Entry Fee

10'x10' booth space, ONLY white tents allowed, $100 Entry Fee for teams.

NO power will be provided, and generators are only allowed if it is a silent generator.

Please plan to utilize propane tanks for cooking.

    1. Each team must cook a minimum of five gallons of gumbo and 25 lbs. of rice.

    2. Teams are prohibited from selling gumbo. Gumbo will be available for tasting in provided 3 oz. cups to only people with a tasting ticket that has paid for access to participate.

    3. Gumbo must be prepared from scratch. Roux must be made on-site, with no premixes or commercial roux. All ingredients are subject to inspection by the designated Gumbo Coordinator. Inspections of products and processes will occur throughout the event.

    4. All food must be prepared in a sanitary process.

    5. The event will have music provided. Teams are asked if they have music players to use in such a way that it does not disturb other teams or cause ill effects to the event.

    6. Hats or hairnets and gloves are required to be worn by all team members handling food.

    7. All preparation and cooking must occur in the team's designated location, in the open, and not in closed tents or trailers.

    8. All decorations should be family-appropriate. Offensive decorations, signs, or materials will be removed.

    9. Each team will be assigned a team number for sample submission for judging. The team captain will verify the team number is on their sample container. No other markings or text can be placed on the sample submittal. There should be no rice in the sample submittal.

    10. Teams will have shared access to a water supply and hand-washing facilities.

    11. Teams should keep their areas clean throughout the event and clean up when done. There will be access to dumpsters.

    Download Cook-Off Team Rules - PDF

  • 6:00 AM

    Teams can begin setting up & cooking begins

    7:00 AM

    Gates & Art Vendors Open

    Beignets & Bloody Marys + view teams cooking!

    10:00 AM

    Food trucks and live music by the DayWalkers!

    11:00 AM

    Team Captain will submit their gumbo sample for judging

    11:30 AM

    People's Choice judging begins; all attendees with taste tickets are allowed to sample gumbo.

    1:30 PM

    People's Choice judging ends; sampling for those with taste tickets is still allowed but will not apply to People's Choice

    2:30 PM

    All judging is completed, and winners are announced! Live Music - Rockin Doopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters

    4:00 PM

    Festival Ends

  • Judging will be based upon:

    • Aroma

    • Consistency

    • Color

    • Taste

    • Aftertaste

    Master Class (homegrown and seasoned chef participants):

    • Best Gumbo 1st Place: $2,500 and trophy

    • Best Gumbo 2nd Place: $1,500 and trophy

    • Best Gumbo 3rd Place: $500 and trophy

    Competitors are encouraged to decorate their tents, and a team will be chosen for Best Decorated Tent.

    • Best Decorated Tent: $200 + Trophy

    People's Choice:

    People's Choice winner will be determined by which team receives the most tickets from attendees with wristbands who paid to participate in the People's Choice portion of the competition. 3 oz. samples will be served to attendees with wristbands. These attendees will have one ticket to vote for the Master Class competition and one ticket to vote for the Mayor's Cup competition.

    • People's Choice: $200 +Trophy

    • Mayor's Cup: $200 Donation +Trophy

    All teams will receive Gulfport Gumbo Fest hats for all members. (4 per team)

    Each team will receive a team photo.

Gumbo Cook-Off

Stir Da Roux Gumbo Cook-Off Team Entry
Stir Da Roux Gumbo Cook-Off Team Entry
$100.00
Purchase