The chicken cooking contest recipe deadline has been extended to Friday, September 20, 2013.  The recipes are to be emailed to info@shelbycountychamber.com. The East Texas Poultry Festival Chicken Cooking Contest sponsored by Tyson Foods is promising many delicious dishes to be exhibited, so break out those recipes and get ready to cook. The 2013 contest will be held Wednesday September 25, immediately following the Doo Dah Parade on the Historic Downtown Center Square with judging at 5:00 p.m.  Participants will need to be set up and ready to go before judging begins.   In the event of bad weather the location would move to the active Shelby County Courthouse community room.

Chicken Cooking Contest Co-Chairs are Denise Merriman and Gina Estes with volunteers Renea Sanders, Daphne Lovell, Vicky Warren, Deborah Chadwick, Renita Swift and Savannah Oswalt.  There will be three categories for competition--Men, Women and Youth--with a $100.00 prize for 1st place in each category, $50.00 for second and $25.00 for third place.

There will also be a Peoples Choice Award and Best Dressed Table Award. Contestants will be provided with approximately 36 inches of covered presentation area to decorate. Participants are asked to prepare their recipe to create 25-30 sample size servings and bring serving utensils.This year contestants have a choice of bringing prepared dishes or cooking outdoors in a tailgate fashion, but all judged dishes will be exhibited in the presentation tent. Electricity will not be provided so an alternative fuel source must be used-- for example, chafing dishes, battery operated appliances etc.  Participants must be set up before the Doo Dah Parade in order to maintain the time schedule.    All participants must have some type of cover for their dish.

Once the judging is completed the area will be opened for a sample tasting to attendees for $5.00 per person. Chicken Cooking Contest Recipe books will be available for $2.00.  Chicken must be the main ingredient of the recipe. Recipes must be submitted to the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Office by Wednesday, September 18 by 4:00 p.m. to be included in the cookbook. Recipes may be mailed or delivered to the Chamber office at 100 Courthouse Square, A-101, Center, Texas 75935 or emailed to info@shelbycountychamber.com. For more information call the Chamber at 598-3682.