It's OK to be chicken — in fact, family-friendly Chicken Fest encourages it
C hicken will be the main attraction Saturday in Sulphur.
The third annual Chicken Fest starts at 9 a.m. at the West Cal Arena and Events Center at 401 Arena Road.
Chicken Fest offers a wholesome, family-friendly atmosphere during the summer months, said Joanne Coleman, executive director, Sulphur Christian Community Coalition. With music, shopping, games and contests, Chicken Fest is an annual event that has quickly evolved into a summer staple.
Coleman said Chicken Fest began in 2023 after a casual chat turned into an hours-long festival-planning session.
'We just kept talking about how we could do this and how we could do that. Two hours later, we had a whole festival planned,' she said. 'Then three months later, we had our first Chicken Fest.'
Coleman and her team expected about 250 attendees at the first Chicken Fest; almost 1,500 showed up. The next year, attendance surpassed 2,000 people. This year, Coleman said they have no idea how many people to expect, but they are eager to see the turnout.
Just as the community shows up for Chicken Fest, Chicken Fest provides for the community. Profits support SC3's mission.
Entry is $5. Children 2 and younger get in free.
The coalition is a community support network that works to 'fill the gaps' for community members who find themselves in emergencies, she said.
SC3 offers immediate aid for those who need the necessities — food, shelter, warmth, clean clothes — and long-term aid. Case managers connect individuals with outreach programs, and education and employment opportunities.
'When they're ready for the next step, whatever that is, we have programs to help,' she said.
Chicken Fest has several poultry-centric activities on the docket, like the wing-eating contest and chicken races, in which contestants put on an inflatable chicken suit and race with the chickens.
Competitors also don the inflatable chicken suits for the Iron Chicken Showdown. In this athletic gauntlet, participants, dressed as chickens, complete an obstacle course with tire-flipping, jump rope and a balance beam, to name a few.
But the most popular events each year, Coleman said, are the chicken pageants. Owners dress up with their chickens and present them for voting. Last year's winner was a chicken dressed up as a UFO. Her owner was the alien, antennas and all.
'We had a Barbie chicken,' Coleman said. 'We had a beekeeper. They had their chicken dressed up as a bee. They go all out and it's a lot of fun.'
Kids can also look forward to laser tag, an inflatable obstacle course, a custom T-shirt station and a gaming truck.
Coleman said Chicken Fest is already a beloved tradition because it is unique, inexpensive and an all-around good time.
'We pack a lot of excitement into just a few hours,' she said. 'From 10 (a.m.) to 2 (p.m.), it's just nonstop fun, back-to-back action.'
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