2025 GUMBO COOKOFF WINNERS
BEST GUMBO: Rain Carbon - Seafood Gumbo
BEST GUMBO TEAM: St. James Parish Hospital
Red Bean Gumbo
| 1st Place - Team Marathon Justin Labauve |
| 2nd Place - Team LSR Lindsey St. Pierre |
| 3rd Place - St. James Parish Hospital Jenny Rizzuto |
Seafood Gumbo
| 1st Place - Team Rain Carbon Travis Hymel |
| 2nd Place - Team St. James Parish Hospital Jeremy Martin and Glenn Zeller |
| 3rd Place - Team Convent Crew Gayle Rome, T-Nook, Terry McCreary |
Poultry Gumbo
| 1st Place - Team Edward Jones Risley St. Germain |
| 2nd Place - Team Sunshine Brandon Chaisson, Matthew French, and Perry Falcon |
| 3rd Place - Team Marathon Jeremy Pilgrim |
37th Annual Festival of the Bonfires
December 11 - 13, 2026 │ Lutcher Park │ 2545 Louisiana Ave. │ Lutcher, LA
2026 ANNUAL GUMBO COOKOFF
We would like to thank you for your continued support of the Festival of the Bonfires and for keeping our St. James tradition burning bright. Bon Appetit!
Our Creed
Rules and regulations are designed to be fair and equal to all competitors. Integrity of the cook, assistants, participants, spectators and the organizers is essential to a fair and impartial contest.
MAJOR CHANGE 2023: DUE to limited spacing!!! Applications can be submitted; however, slots will be filled by DONATION SPONSORS first {Title, Crown, Center Pole, Side Pole, and Filler Sponsors- excludes Cane and Firecracker Level. Once your application is received, we will number it accordingly and spots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis if spots are available after DONATION SPONSORS are determined.
Donation Sponsors deadline is September 15, 2026.
COOKOFF & JUDGING DATE
Friday, December 11, 2026
SUBMISSION
All gumbos will be sampled at approximately 4:00 pm on Friday, December 11, 2026 on festival grounds.
GENERAL STATEMENTS
NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE ALLOWED TO BE BROUGHT ONTO FESTIVAL GROUNDS. ANYONE FOUND TO HAVE OUTSIDE ALCOHOL IN POSSESSION WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE FESTIVAL SITE. SECOND OFFENSES COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN TEAM DISQUALIFICATION AND REMOVAL FROM THE COMPETITION. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS. “THIS RULE WILL BE ENFORCED BY THE ST. JAMES PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT.”
IMPORTANT
THE FESTIVAL COMMITTEE WILL SELL BEER STARTING AT 10:00 AM AT A DISCOUNTED PRICE UNTIL THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE FESTIVAL WHICH IS 2:00 PM. REGULAR PRICES WILL GO INTO EFFECT AT 2:00 PM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2026.