Hundreds of residents gathered at the Washington County Convention Center this weekend to eat delicious food for a good cause.
Warren Washington Issaquena Sharkey Community Action Agency (WWISCAA) hosted its 27th annual Food Festival on Sunday.
WWISCAA Executive Director Jannis Williams said this year’s event pulled in about 750 people and at $10 a ticket they raised about $7,500, before expenses.
“I think it was great,” Williams said. “Everybody I talked to had a great time. For some, it was their first time and they thought it was a great event. A lot of people were really shocked and thought the arena was decorated so nicely. Others said they saw people they hadn’t seen in a long time, it was a great event all around.”
This year’s theme was Let’s Feast on Treats from the Northeast, and the seven competing booths represented Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.
Nine judges were on hand to award first-, second- and third- place winners for the categories of best food, costume and set design, giving competitors nine ways to win.
This year’s judges included D.K. Pierce and Peyton Straube of Delta Radio; Catherine Kirk of the Delta Democrat-Times; Jean Turnbough, Schuylar Ramsey and Brice Bement of Delta Daily News; Melanie Thomas of Walmart; Mechelle Jones of FoxFire Media; Savannah Jackson of Mississippi Association of Cooperatives; and Happy Dennis of Regions Bank.
The winners of the food category included Massachusetts in first-place, Pennsylvania in second-place and Rhode Island in third-place. The winners of the set design category included Massachusetts in first-place, Rhode Island in second-place and New Hampshire in third-place. Costume winners were Massachusetts in first-place, Rhode Island in second-place and New Jersey in third place.
The themes in years past have always brought something fun and new to the table, such as Dinner and a Movie, A Taste of the South, Family Vacations, Holidays Around the World and more.
All of the funds raised by the Food Festival will go back into WWISCAA’s program budget to provide care for the elderly, homeless and disadvantaged people in the community, Williams said.
Williams said WWISCAA is already making plans for their 32nd annual Winter banquet, where people will dress in their finest attire and recognize people in the community for their contributions of humanitarianism, volunteerism and community service.
This year’s theme is going to be Dreaming of Italy and the event is set to take place Dec. 13. Tickets will be available for purchase starting in November.
For more information about WWISCAA, call 662-378-5857.
