DEQUINCY — The annual Holy Smoke Cook-Off & Praise Festival will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the DeQuincy Railroad Museum.

The event is a fundraiser for the Harry Hooker Sr. Memorial Scholarship Fund, which gives out a $1,000 university scholarship and two $500 technical school scholarships to DeQuincy High students.

“We have been doing this event since 2010,” said Darlene Hooker, daughter of the fund’s namesake. “He retired after 31 years in 2006 and passed in 2009. The family wanted to do something to continue his legacy.”

Hooker said the event has been growing and that organizers may add a second day to it next year.

“Last year had three participants in the cookoff; this year we are up to six,” she said. “Each cookoff entry can sell plate lunches and sandwiches as well — anything but the cookoff meal, which this year is pork ribs.”

Entertainment will be provided by a host of area artists, including Katrina Welcome-Poullard, Bobby King and the Good News Messengers, The Manuels and youth choirs.

Hooker said her father was dedicated to helping area youth.

“He had a group called the Royal Nights,” she said. “He would take them on tours to Grambling, Southern, McNeese. They would do different activities like going camping or fishing. It was faith-based.”

Other groups he formed paired youths with older men in mentoring relationships or helped prison inmates change their lives, she said.

For more information on the event, call 499-7165 or email darlenehooker@yahoo.com.

Festival schedule:

9 a.m. — opening ceremonies.

9:45 a.m. — Guiding Light Church of God in Christ Youth Choir.

10 a.m. — New Beginnings COGIC of Mossville.

11 a.m. — Faith Band.

11:30 a.m.— Refiner’s Fire Dance Ministry.

Noon — cookoff results.

12:45 p.m. — Katrina Welcome-Poullard.

1 p.m. —The Manuels of DeQuincy.

2:30 p.m. — Bobby King and the Good News Messengers.

3 p.m. — open mike

3:30 p.m. — Calvin Carter.

4 p.m. — God’s Word in Motion Dance Ministry/Greater Freeman Memorial COGIC.

4:30 p.m. — closing ceremonies.

Festival-goers at last years Holy Smoke Cook Off and Praise Festival enjoyed live music. (Special to the American Press)