38th Annual World Catfish Festival

The World Catfish Festival has become a major tourist draw to the Mississippi Delta. Because of its reputation as a family oriented event, the World Catfish Festival has received several awards including Top 100 Events in North America and Top 20 Events of the Southeast. About 3,000 people attended the first festival in 1976, and it has grown to more than 10,000 attending each year. The festival now encompasses the whole downtown area, including four streets for over 150 arts and crafts vendors, and live entertainment which features blues, country, gospel and more. There is a free kids zone as well as activities for adults and youth (bungee jump, paint ball, mechanical bull and rock wall). The festival begins with a 5K run/walk at 8 AM. In addition to the live entainment, the crowds are entertained with a Little Miss Catfish Pageant, Miss Catfish Pageant and a catfish eating contest. $1000 in cash will be given away. Visitors are attracted from not only Mississippi and around the U.S. but from foreign countries as well.