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Wing Wars of Acadiana returns to downtown Lafayette, raising funds for homeless youth

Wing Wars of Acadiana: Acadiana's Chicken Wing Festival volunteers, cooks and members of the community of Lafayette came together Saturday with the goal of support. The event at Parc International in downtown aimed to benefit the Gifting Grace Project, which helps homeless children by providing them with essential resources. David Owens, the founder and chairman of the organization, started the cookoff in 2021. It initially became the organization's premier fundraiser for the Gifting Grace Project. It also serves as a community awareness event. The Gifting Grace Project began in the fall of 2020 and aimed to give back to the Acadiana community. What started as a holiday outreach, according to their website, quickly grew when they learned that nearly 600 students in the Lafayette Parish School System were experiencing homelessness. During the cookoff, Wing Wars of Acadiana welcomed all cooks, both professional and amateur, who came together to cook a whole lot of wings. A total of 12 participated in this year's Wing Wars of Acadiana: Acadiana's Chicken Wing Festival, two more than last year, according to Owens' sister Sarah Arnold, who helps with the Gifting Grace Project. 'We team up with our group of volunteers and committee members to make this happen,' Arnold said. 'We sponsor, on average, around 2000 kids a year, and you have to have money for that, and so as a nonprofit, we rely on fundraising and donations, and this is our only fundraiser event every year.' Arnold said they raised about $30,000 last year, and they are hoping to meet that number this year and then some. The 12 teams that competed were: ATF Bistro Bayou Bao Co. Chateau de Haydell Culture Creole Seasoning Home-Grill Advantage Louisiana Love All-purpose seasoning MaD All Purpose Cajun Seasoning Mutha Cluckn Wings NextHome Cutting Edge Realty Rusty's Seasoning for Every Stuff Queen's Wings DezMeaux's Boudin Wings weren't the only thing that was enjoyed that day. Live music from three Swamp Land Revival, Sharona Thomas Band, and Coteau Grove played throughout the day, as well as fun jumps, balloon animals, and various local booths. Lines of people filled all 12 booths, ready to eat various flavors of chicken wings. As the boxes filled up with tickets for their favorite flavor, and cheers and laughter grew louder from the teams competing, Keith Domingue with MaD All-Purpose Cajun Seasoning, said they, like everyone else there, were there to support the Gifting Grace Project. 'We enjoy being a part of this event because we are raising money for the kids of Acadiana,' Domingue said. 'We feel very fortunate to do what we do, and we can give back to the community.' This is the third year in a row that Domingue and MaD All Purpose Cajun have competed in Wing Wars of Acadiana: Acadiana's Chicken Wing Festival. This year they cooked up traditional wings with their barbecue rub, and original to help raise money. For a pair of newcomers, Summer Wilkinson and Keith Bearb, this was their first Wing Wars of Acadiana: Acadiana's Chicken Wing Festival. Wilkinson said she has enjoyed her first time here, after being downtown and was told that they should give the event a try. 'I definitely plan on coming back next year,' Wilkinson said. Bearb, who tried pretty much every wing before noon, said that he was impressed with the event and turnout, especially how well-organized the event was. As far as his favorite so far, Bearb said the wings from Bayou Bao Co. Their Korean Fired Chicken Wings became one that he remembered most of all. 'It has a really good crust, sauce, sesame seeds, it was crispy, and it was one of the best flavors,' Bearb said. TKO champ - DezMeaux's Acadiana's Choice Award: Dezmeaux's (105) Bayou Bao (134) Next Home (191) Best traditional wings & professional division: Third place - The Creole Boys/Culture Creole Second place - Louisiana Love First place - DezMeaux's Boudin & Wings Best traditional wings - amateur division: Third place - Home-Grill Advantage First place (tie) - Chateau de Haydell & Next Home / Freetown Best Boneless: Third place - none - only 2 teams Second place - Chateau de Haydell First place - Rusty's Seasoning Best Side dish: Third place - ATF Bistro Second place - Bayou Bao First place - Rusty's Seasoning Best presentation: Freetown Wings / Next Home Realty Fundraising Award: Queens Wings $1377 Spirit award: Rusty's Seasoning Arnold said that 100% of the money raised will go straight to the Gifting Grace Project, and for those who participated in a great cause, she said it doesn't get any better than that. 'They're volunteering their time, their money, and they want to do it in this area, in the heart of the city," Arnold said. 'Every year when we do this, we always ask if they can come out and do this, and every time they tell us yes.' This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Wing Wars heats up downtown Lafayette in support of homeless youth