Houstonia's second annual, no-holds-barred Gumbo Smackdown is right around the corner—and you'd better get your tickets now while you still can, because they're going fast.

Those who attended our inaugural Gumbo Smackdown last year may remember that our five competitors pulled out all the stops, with Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar taking top honors for its smoked duck gumbo garnished with fried okra and duck cracklins. This year, Houstonia is pulling out all the stops, too: we've invited 17 of the city's best restaurants to give their best gumbo a shot this Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

For $25 a ticket (or $40 for two tickets), you'll not only get to sample all 17 gumbos and each restaurant's speciality side item, you'll get access to our open bar stocked with all the beer and booze you can safely drink. Our panel of judges will be awarding a prize to their favorite, but the People's Choice award will be decided by y'all and y'all alone. And if you, by some act of voodoo, have stomach room left after all this judging, we'll also have an unlimited spread of beignets, so wear your stretchiest pants on Saturday.

Our participating restaurants include:

• The Cajun Stop
• Eddie V's Prime Seafood
• Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
• Frank's Americana Revival
• Harold's "in the Heights"
• Jonathan's The Rub
• KATCH 22
• Museum Park Cafe
• Nara
• Ouisie's Table
• Paul's Kitchen
• Peli Peli
• Prohibition Supperclub & Bar
• The Palm Restaurant
• Punk's Simple Southern Food
• Rainbow Lodge
• Tony Mandola's Gulf Coast Kitchen

We'll have 5th St. closed at Heights Blvd. to accommodate all of the gumbo festivities as well as an afternoon of entertainment, including performances by one of our celebrity judges, Juan Carlos the Montrose Rollerblade Dancer. Houstonia will also be hosting a raffle to benefit Neighborhood Centers, Inc., so come ready to open your hearts and wallets in addition to your hungry mouths.

If there are any tickets left the day of, they'll be on sale at the door for $30. That said, every Houstonia event has sold out ahead of time, so don't wait. We'd hate to eat all this delicious gumbo without you.