In a couple days prepare to smell something surprising on campus, something rare in Maine: C’est bon Cajun cooking! And where does one find good gumbo on campus? Only at WMPG’s 10th Annual Fat Tuesday Celebration and Cajun Cooking Challenge, cosponsored by Aramark and the Portland Events Board.
“[This year’s celebration is] bigger and better,” said Tom Flynn, development director for WMPG. “Last year we had six restaurants participating. This year we have nine,” including Joe’s Boathouse from South Portland, last year’s Cajun cooking champion.
WMPG will broadcast live starting at 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. from the Woodbury Campus Center. All day, the WMPG airwaves will bring Mardi Gras/Carnival music to their listeners. From 7 to 9:30 p.m. JimmyJo & The Jumbol’ayuhs, a Cajun band from Phippsburg, Maine, will play host a concert in the cafeteria area of the Campus Center, free for USM students with a valid ID, or a suggested $5 donation.
Students should know there is a free lunch involved in all of this. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cajun fans can sample the fare and vote for their favorite dish.