On Saturday the 2018 “Natchez Biscuit Festival” will take place at the Natchez Farmers Market, from 8 a.m. until noon.

Several local restaurants will have biscuits for sale from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. (two tickets for $5). Biscuits and specialty biscuit sandwiches will be one or two tickets.

Thanks to our two major sponsors Visit Natchez.org and Alcorn Extension, we have added a Southern Songwriters Summit to the Biscuit Festival weekend. This is designed to encourage young songwriters.

Hailey Steele an alum of NBC’s “The Voice,” now a successful songwriter living in Nashville, will work with young songwriters on Friday as a mentor.

They will perform at the Biscuit Festival, which is a free event. Saturday evening at 7 p.m there will be a Songwriters showcase at Biscuits and Blues.

The cost is $10 to help the continuation of the event. Our hopes are each year we will bring in more songwriters and have them in all of our music venues, singing their original songs and sharing the stories behind them.

As you all know Natchez is the “Biscuit Capital of the World” and this is a great way to honor all of our great biscuit makers in Natchez. You don’t have to be a professional chef. We have five categories for the biscuit cook off. To enter go to www.natchezbiscuitfest.com

8:30 a.m. Home cook — breakfast biscuit

9 a.m. Home cook — most creative biscuit

9:30 a.m. Children’s category – best overall biscuit

10 a.m. Chefs division – breakfast biscuit

10:30 a.m. Chefs division – most creative biscuit

11 a.m. Music by guest song writers- featuring Hailey Steele

All biscuits must be homemade.

All entries must have recipe attached with your name, address, phone and email.

Youth division items must be made primarily by the youth. Parents may help as needed but this is specifically a youth project.

Please be sure to have all items at the judges’ table on time. Late entries will not be accepted.

No mixes allowed. The item must be fully baked and ready to serve.

Submit one dozen of the baked item for judging.

Participants must be present during a question/answer session with the judges.

If anyone wants to help with the songwriters summit or the biscuit festival please contact Regina Charboneau at  chefreginanatchez@gmail.com.

Regina Charboneau is promoter of the Natchez Biscuit Festival.