NATCHEZ — Food, wine, music and friends — and plenty of each — was on the menu Friday night at the Natchez Food and Wine Festival’s “Taste of the River.”

The food and wine tasting gave ticket holders the chance to sample local and guest chefs’ work.

People filled the convention center’s hall and lines trailed to favorite booths. Natchez resident Brad Yarbrough is a regular at the annual celebration.

“It’s a fun event,” Yarbrough said. “There are a lot of people I know here. The food is great, the music is good, and it is just a fun place to be.”

Visitors were impressed by the fare, too. Carol DesHotels came with her Red Hat Society from Kaplan, La., to sample the cuisine.

“We’re having a ball,” she said. “We’re from Cajun Country, so it’s hard to beat our food, but this is good.”

The selection offered something for everybody, from The Malt Shop’s famous Frito pie to High Cotton’s new creation of a smoked lobster BLT.

The caterers won first prize in the event’s friendly “people’s choice” contest for the third year in a row.

“Doug’s just really inventive and comes up with delicious and new ideas,” High Cotton Manager Rahina Beuter said.

Natchez resident Jennifer Lessley attends the tasting every year.

“It’s even better this year,” Lessley said. “This year is by far the best. The food, everything.”

Adams credited the chefs, those who worked to make this year’s event happen and the original committee who brought the project to life six years ago.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without them,” she said.

Tickets for today’s 2 p.m. Royal Wine and Cheese Tasting are still available.

Festival winners:

Wine:

First place: Gallo

Second place: Republic

Third place: Royal Butler

Fourth Place: Glazers

Judges’ award for food:

First place: Barnado’s of St. Francisville

Second place: Monmouth

Third place: Breaud’s

Honorable mention: Heirloom Cuisine of St. Francisville for their venison

People’s choice award:

First place: High Cotton

Second place: Eighteen on the Bluff

Third place: Pearl Street Pasta