Development Foundation
 P.O. Box 145, Belzoni, MS 39038
662-247-4838  fax 662-247-4805  E-Mail Us
"All Things Great About Living in the Mississippi Delta"

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Catfish Stats

US Total Acres
89,300

Mississippi Total Acres
51,200

Humphreys Acres
8,100 (2011)

#6 in American seafood consumed

US Pounds Processed
334 million annually

2013 SPONSORS

 

39th Annual World Catfish Festival
April 5, 2014

2014 Arts And Crafts Vendor Application

2013 World Catfish Festival Winners
For more great photos and coverage, visit and LIKE our Facebook Page

Photo: Congratulations to Taylor Barrett, Miss Catfish 2013

Miss Catfish Pageant
Miss Catfish 2013, Taylor Barrett
First alternate, Jewel Abraham
Second alternate, Lindsey Sexton
Co-winners for Miss Congeniality, Alyssa Smith and Mary Catherine Turner

Tiny Miss Catfish: Sarah Kathryn Smith
1st Runner Up: Perry Kate Kraft
2nd Runner Up: Madalyn Bledsoe

Little Miss Catfish: Carys Turner
1st Runner Up: Maddie Purvis
2nd Runner Up: Annie Katelynn Crawford

Jr Miss Catfish: Annie Wells
1st Runner Up: Ann Parker Baldwin
2nd Runner Up: Georgia Elizabeth Neill

Catfish Eating Contest: Brent Ricord, 2.02 lbs

Photo: Congratulations to Brent Ricord, winner of the 2013 Catfish Eating contest.
Recognizing Our National Success
The World Catfish Festival has become a major tourist draw to the Mississippi Delta. Because of its reputation as a family oriented event, the World Catfish Festival has received several awards including Top 100 Events in North America and Top 20 Events of the Southeast.

About 3,000 people attended the first festival in 1976, and it has grown to more than 10,000 attending each year. The festival now encompasses the whole downtown area, including four streets for over 150 arts and crafts vendors, and live entertainment which features blues, country, gospel and more.

There is a free kids zone as well as activities for adults and youth (bungee jump, paint ball, mechanical bull and rock wall). The festival begins with a 5K run/walk at 8 AM.

In addition to the live entertainment, the crowds are entertained with a Little Miss Catfish Pageant, Miss Catfish Pageant and a catfish eating contest. $1000 in cash will be given away. Visitors are attracted from not only Mississippi and around the U.S. but from foreign countries as well.