The 29th Annual Liberty Jubilee, a family-style fun festival, is set for Friday and Saturday, March 28-29, in downtown Liberty.

Often described as one of the best small town festivals in the State of Texas, the Liberty Jubilee is held around the historic downtown area on the fourth weekend of March each year. The festival dates back to 1986 when it was designed as part of the Texas Sesquicentennial Celebration. The original event, however, was such a success that the City of Liberty decided to continue holding it each year.

The festival opens at noon on Friday, March 28, with various food vendors, arts and crafts vendors and the Liberty Municipal Librarys book and bake sale. That evening there is a fish fry sponsored by the local Lions Club, a fireworks display and a street dance. A popular barbecue cook-off competition is held each year with teams setting up on Friday afternoon and judging held on Saturday.

The festival is greatly expanded on Saturday, March 29, beginning that morning with a parade featuring costumed children on bicycles, walking their pets or riding on small floats. There is literally something for everyone in the family to see or do throughout the day on Saturday. There are three stages of live entertainment, strolling clowns, childrens games and rides, outdoor recreation section, arts and crafts and, of course, great food.

Some of the more popular events are booking up fast, and deadlines for these events are rapidly approaching:

BOOK AND BAKE SALE An annual fundraiser for the Liberty Municipal Library, the Book and Bake Sale is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and gets under way at noon on Friday and continues all day on Saturday. The Book Sale will be held upstairs you can get there by means of the elevator in the foyer. Pat Craig is chairing this part of the event.

The Bake Sale, which will be held in the foyer of the Cultural Center, provides homemade baked goods, frozen casseroles, jams, jellies, and other popular items. Anyone who would like to contribute such food items to the sale may contact Beverly Davis at 936-336-7476. Food items can be dropped off there on Thursday, March 27, or on Friday morning, March 28.

JUBILEE COOK-OFF This is one of the most popular events each year, and competition is limited to only 20 cooking teams. Spaces are going fast, although the deadline is March 21.

The cooking competition has been one of the highlights of the Jubilee since it was first organized as Texas Sesquicentennial celebration in 1986. Prizes are awarded for brisket, ribs, chefs choice, rib eye steaks and margaritas. Cook-off teams will begin setting up on Friday, March 28, and all meats will be tagged and all food items must be inspected before cooking can begin. Complete rules and application forms are available at city hall.

There will be a number of trophies given in the cook-off contest. Judging will be on Saturday, March 29. A list of all rules, entry fees and other information is available through Liberty City Hall or the citys website Fees or $25 per category or $100 for all events. For more information, call Tom Warner or Naomi Herrington at City Hall, 936-336-3684.

Go here to see the original:

Liberty Jubilee is set for March 28-29