Great food and blues music will greet those attending &uot;Taste of the River and Blues&uot; today from 6 to 9 p.m. at City Auditorium, corner of Jefferson and Wall streets.

Tickets, $15 per person, will be available at the door, said Laura Godfrey of the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau. Culinary specialties from 25 chefs and entertainment by Dave Thompson are included in the ticket. Thompson is among the foremost contemporary blues guitarists, known for sweeping bends and punching melodies as well as for his clear, throaty voice. He has been playing since he was 9 years old.

Chefs taking part include Regina Charboneau and Juanita Love of Monmouth; Willie McGehee; Archie Willet of Pig Out Inn; John Martin Terranova of The Castle at Dunleith; Della Smith of Farraday’s; and Michael Williams of Alliant.

Also participating are Yvonne Scott of King’s Tavern; Dianne Tuccio of Diane’s Kitchen; Dot Clark of the Carriage House; Michael Smith and Charles Anderson of Southern Comforts; Dr. Lynn Palmer, cheese maker; and a food representative from Pearl Street Pasta. Guest chefs Horst Pfieffer of New Orleans and Keith Mellini of Baton Rouge also will bring samples of their specialties.