Texas Crab Festival Gumbo Cook-off, May 13, 2023

Keeping the “Crab” in the Crab FestivalOnly $25 Entry fee per gumbo team
(registration limited to the first 10 teams)

We are looking for anyone and everyone to enter this year’s Charity Gumbo Cookoff. In keeping with the theme of the Festival, all entries will contain crab. The Gumbo Cookoff will feature a People’s Choice award along with winners selected by a panel of judges. Each team will be given a cooking area; all teams are responsible for bringing their own supplies for cooking. The Texas Crab Festival will provide sampling cups, napkins and judges’ sampling cups. Trophies and Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place.

GUMBO COOKOFF ENTRY FORM

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Official Rules and RegulationsTeam Captain:
Each team will designate a team captain, who is responsible for seeing that each assigned area is kept clean, that a judging sample is taken to the judging table and that all team members have read and understand these rules and regulations. Each team will be issued 5 beer tokens. The team captain is responsible for obtaining the tokens for his/her team.

Check-in:
Check in and set up begins at 8:00am. A Gumbo Cook-off representative will be at the appropriate gate to show teams to their cooking area. The team captain and two team members will be admitted to the park free of charge. Additional team members will be required to pay admission to the park. The park opens to the public at 10:00am. All teams must be checked in and all vehicles removed from the gate area by 9:30am.

Space:
Each team will have a 10’ x 10’ space. Teams must provide their own tables and tent or canopy to cover their cooking area. All teams must bring all supplies necessary for cooking. The Texas Crab Festival Charities will not be responsible for supplying utensils, pots, pans, burners, etc. Each Team must also provide their own hand washing station. A 5 gallon cooler with a continuous flow spout is sufficient. There must be a pan on the ground under the spout to catch all water for proper disposal. Please ensure your area is clean and all trash has been removed from your site before leaving. Please have your area vacated by 5:00pm on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Gumbo:
All fresh food cooking for the event must be done on premise the day of event. Only roux and stock can be brought to the event. In keeping with the Texas Crab Festival theme each gumbo must include crab. All other ingredients are at the teams’ discretion. Please furnish a minimum of 4 gallons of gumbo and provide your own rice. Teams will provide samples to the public. Those sampling the gumbo will be given a ticket to vote on their favorite gumbo. The tasting will take place from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. There will be a “People’s Choice” winner as well as winners selected by a panel of judges.

Supplied Items:
The Texas Crab Festival will provide sampling cups, utensils, napkins and judges’ sampling cups.

Judging:
Numbered containers for the judging will be provided by the Texas Crab Festival Charities at approximately 11:45 pm. A team captain is required to deliver the numbered sample to the judging area by 12:00 noon. The judging area will be communicated to each Team Captain the morning of the event. The winners of the cook-off will be announced at approximately 2:00 pm. All decisions by the judges are final.

The judges will give each gumbo a score between 1 and 5. The judging criteria are as follows:
– Appearance – has a good gumbo-roux color
– Aroma – must smell appetizing
– Consistency – stirs like a good gumbo – thickness of base, etc.
– Texture – balanced quantity of ingredients
– Flavor – tastes like a good gumbo, pleasing to the palate
Cooking conditions are subject to inspection. Failure to follow these rules will be grounds for disqualification. Any changes to these official rules and regulations will be communicated to Teams in advance of the event.

Awards:
Awards will be given in the following categories:
People’s Choice
Trophy and Free Entry for the 2024 Texas Crab Festival Charity Gumbo Cook-off
Judges’ Awards
1st, 2nd & 3rd place trophies.

Sportsmanship:
This event is a charitable event to raise money for our community. We ask that you have a fun time we thank you for your support of this event!

Questions:
If you have questions about the registration form or the rules or regulations please call the cookoff representative: Bob Currie, 254-718-8900.

**The Galveston County Temporary Food Establishment Permit must be completed and submitted to the Galveston County Health Department. There is no additional fee for this permit. A Health Department representative will contact you in advance of the event to ensure you understand the health department guidelines. Go to:

Galveston County Health Department.
Click on “Temporary Food Permit Application”You will need this information for the form:
IRS Tax Exempt Number: 46-1076676
Special Event: Texas Crab Festival Gumbo Cookoff
Sponsor: Texas Crab Festival Charities
Date of Event: May 13, 2023
Time: 8 am – 3 pm
Location: Festival Park, 1605 Hwy 87, Crystal Beach
Organization: Texas Crab Festival Charities

GET YOUR PERMIT EARLY. LATE ENTRANTS (WITHIN 2 DAYS OF THE EVENT) WILL HAVE TO PAY A $25 FEE. IF ANYONE DOES NOT HAVE THEIR COMPLETED PERMIT DISPLAYED AT THE FESTIVAL, THERE WILL BE A $175.00 FINE.

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The Texas Crab Festival is operated by Texas Crab Festival Charities, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to increase educational and career opportunities for Bolivar Peninsula residents of all ages, and to support local organizations that further the goal of improving the lives of the residents of Bolivar Peninsula.

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