VIDALIA &8212; On Friday the Miss-Lou can enjoy good food, music and fun and celebrate the life and legend of that famous knife-fighter Jim Bowie at Vidalia&8217;s annual Jim Bowie Festival.

&8220;So many people have said they have a great time every year they come and this year we hope it will be even better,&8221; Committee Chairman Guylyn Boles said.

The festival gates open at 9 a.m. at the Riverview RV Park and will kick off with the Backyard Barbeque Duel where amateurs have an opportunity to cook their best pork rib recipe.

There will also be an &8220;Anything Butt&8221; contest, where contestants can cook their choice of food other than pork.

At 8:30 p.m. the Backyard Barbeque awards will be announced.

The pork rib entry fee is $35 per team.

At 6 p.m. the festival will hold its Little Miss Bowie Pageant for girls, ages infant through 7 years old.

From 7 to 10 p.m., there will be music from Michael Hataway and the Louisiana Swamp Fire Band.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, vendor areas will open and the festival will start with the Bowie Barbeque Duel.

Cooks will compete in three categories including whole hog, pork shoulder and pork ribs.

Contestants have a chance to win up to $5,000 in cash prizes and this year&8217;s winner is the Louisiana State Barbeque champion and will compete in the Memphis in May Barbeque competition.

The Concordia Parish Sheriff&8217;s Office D.A.R.E Fishing Tournament will have the weigh-in from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and trophies will be presented from 1-2 p.m.

Following the trophy presentation, there will be a Jim Bowie Sandbar Duel re-enactment.

From 3 to 5 p.m., the festival will feature the headline band, EXILE, and at 5:30 p.m. judges will award the winners of the barbeque duel.

The festival will close at 6 p.m. but from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m., the Vidalia Women&8217;s Club will have their street dance, &8220;Rockin on the River&8221; at the Vidalia amphitheatre.

Admission is $2 on Friday and $4 on Saturday.

For children under the age of six admission is free and children who wear their D.A.R.E. Fishing Tournament T-shirts get in free as well.

For more information, contact the

theVidalia Chamber of Commerce at (318) 336-8223.