MERIGOLD, Miss. -- People can enjoy the annual rice tasting event held in Bolivar County in a different format this year.

The Rice Festival will be held Sept. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the streets of downtown Merigold.

“This year will mark 31 years of celebrating rice during the third week of September in Bolivar County,” said Mississippi State University Extension Service coordinator and agent Laura Giaccaglia, who works with the Delta Rice Promotions Board to organize the event.

“Even though we are doing things in a different way this year, our focus is still to make the public aware of the versatility of rice and to show appreciation to those who are in the rice industry,” she said.

Attendees can taste rice dishes from local restaurants, shop with vendors, see exhibits, and enjoy music and children’s activities. A rice queen also will be announced.

The event is open to the public. Admission is free and does not require a ticket.

Mississippi ranks sixth among states that produce the most rice. The crop is one of the state’s top agricultural exports. In 2020, the state’s 221 rice farms produced more than 12.5 million hundredweight of rice valued at $138 million.