Are you ready for the best jambalaya you have ever tasted? And does the price of $4 — yes, that is $4 — for a plate of jambalaya, a salad, a roll and a soft drink make your mouth water even more?

If so, come on down to the fourth annual United Way Jambalaya Jamboree Cook-off on Thursday. This event, kicking off the annual United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou pledge drive, will be at the Natchez Convention Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Join our local stars, eat well and support a good cause. This year’s theme is “Broadway: A Community Production.”

You may remember that our first year’s event was a sold-out success. The next year we doubled the number of teams to ensure plenty of food. This year there will be even more. Local businesses and companies from both sides of the river have gathered their top chefs and secret recipes to prepare their taste-tempting treat and the competition is already heating up (pun intended). A panel of independent judges will select the best jambalaya. A group of local artists will select the winners of spirit awards for the best decorated booths. This occasion kicks off the United Way annual drive with a bang and plenty of spice.

While enjoying your jambalaya, there will be lots of fun and music. Natchez First Radio Group will broadcast live. Roscoe will handle the MC duties and Section Eight will provide the music. United Way agencies will have information booths so that you can see the work they do in the Miss-Lou and how your contribution does make a difference.

Cooking teams include Alcorn School of Nursing, Bad Boy Buggies, Britton & Koontz Bank, Concordia Bank and Trust, Soul Heaven, The UPS Store, Supermarket Operations, Natchez Regional Hospital, Natchez Community Hospital, Isle of Capri, the Adams County Coalition for Youth and Children, Monmouth Plantation and the Natchez Senior Citizens’ Center.

Names of judges will be kept in the wings until Thursday to prevent any pre-event pressure from the enthusiastic teams and agencies. Suffice it to say, they represent the best tasters and creative artists from both sides of the river.

The United Way Board of Directors invites everyone to come join us for lunch on Thursday.

Special thanks to the community leaders and officials who have joined together to support this event.

Marsha Colson is the executive director of the United Way of the Greater Miss-Lou.