The Catfish Capitol - Belzoni, Mississippi

The Catfish Capitol - Belzoni, Mississippi

Have you ever thought about visiting a Catfish Capitol?  You can in Belzoni.  Here the newly renovated IB&B Depot has displays and exhibits as a testament to the history and culture of the land and the people of the area.

Outside the Capitol there are sculptures fashioned for things like hatchery tanks, spawning cans, and seining nets.  The city claims the largest collection of outdoor sculpture per capita in the State.

The city even hosts a World Catfish Festival where you can join in the catfish eating contest, the 5 K Run or attend the entertainment offered by the city. They even select a Miss Catfish to reign over the events.

Although the festival started out in 1976 with approximately 3,000 people attending the festival now encompasses the whole downtown area, including four streets for the arts and craft show, and entertainment scattered around the area.

This tribute to the catfish industry is to show the appreciation the area has to the positive impact the farm raised catfish industry has had on the area.

In 1976 U.S. production totaled 55,000 acres, with Mississippi producing 27,000 of that amount and Humphreys County leading any other county in the U.S. with 6,000 acres. This led to Governor Cliff Finch proclaiming Humphreys County as the “Catfish Capital of the World,” a title that Humphreys County still holds. Today the county has over 30,000 acres under water, a growth without parallel.

Information: 1-800-408-4838

email: catfish@catfishcapitalonline.com

Location: All over Belzoni, Mississippi