NATCHEZ — While the kids enjoy horse rides and cakewalks, Mom and Dad can eat chicken and hear live music at the Holy Family Fall Festival Saturday.

The family event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. offers much for a $5 entrance fee, and enjoying the day will feel even better knowing the proceeds will be well spent.

Fair coordinator and Holy Family teacher Faye Barnes said the fall festival is the school’s biggest fundraiser, which helps the school meet its budget requirements.

Barnes said the event is one of the area’s longest running festivals, and the entire Miss-Lou is invited.

“This is the (fundraiser) that gets he entire community involved,” said Holy Family School’s financial advisor Sister Burnadette McNamara.

Games will include a milk toss, horseshoe throw, duck pond, ring-a-bottle, cakewalk, face painting and more.

“(The students) are so excited they look like the carnival is going on today,” Barnes said Wednesday.

Horse rides are also available for children, although Burnadette said she had the pleasure of hitching a ride at last year’s festival.

Winners of a raffle will be announced at the festival, and Barnes said it is not too late to buy raffle tickets.

Prizes include a 19-inch flat screen TV, gift cards to Walmart and JCPenney, a $100 savings bond and cash prizes ranging from $75 to $200.

Barnes said if the weather brings rain Saturday, the show will go on inside the cafeteria and classrooms.

The chicken dinner will include a quarter of a chicken, macaroni and cheese, peas, a dinner roll and dessert.

The grill masters will be the men of The Knights of Peter Claver, and dinner will be served in the cafeteria or can be packaged for takeout.

Joe Wallace will be providing live music, and festival-goes are encouraged to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the sounds and sights.

Anyone interested in buying raffle tickets can call the Holy Family Office at 601-442-3947 or the convent at 601-442-6785.

“We’ll drive to your house with the ticket book,” Barnes said.