The city of Picayune and Picayune Main Street invite the public to help raise funds for Friendship Park by either competing in or attending an upcoming Gumbo Cook-off.

The effort will help the city cover a $380,000 required match to receive $1.9 million in BP grant funds slated to finance several renovations at Friendship Park.

Two other fundraisers already conducted by the organizations have raised about $42,000 of that match, according to previous coverage.

This event will task the best cooks to bring their gumbo or desserts for judging by a panel judges. To enter a meat gumbo , seafood gumbo or dessert the fee is $25. City of Picayune Special Projects Manager Lisa Albritton said cooks can enter one or all three categories for one fee if they choose.

The dessert category can consist of any dish, so long as it is a dessert.

Judging will also be conducted by attendees of the event via People’s Choice. The cost to cast a vote in the People’s Choice category is $1 per vote.

Entry to the event as an attendee will be $15 for adults, $5 for children aged 6 to 12 and children younger than 5 are free.

Entertainment during the event will include karaoke with Cooper Hill Entertainment and a bird house construction zone sponsored by Home Depot.

The event will be held on March 19, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Crosby Commons on Goodyear Boulevard. Those entering dishes can arrive at 8 a.m. to begin cooking, or those dishes can be prepared at home prior to the event.

Cooking teams can register online and attendee tickets can be pre-purchased via the Internet. Entry to the event the day of the event will be cash only, but credit or debit payment methods will be accepted for other items during the event.

Soft drinks and bottle water will be for sale, organized by a local Boy Scout troop. Albritton said there will also be a silent auction, featuring an 80 at cooking pot and gift certificates to local businesses.