The Texas Rice Festival is back in Winnie for its 57th year, celebrating the region’s rice-farming heritage with food, live music, carnival rides and family activities.

The festival began in 1969 on Broadway in downtown Winnie as a celebration of the rice harvest. Over the years, it has grown into a community tradition that brings together local families, vendors, churches and businesses.

Chris Street, who handles advertising, marketing and sponsorships for the festival, said rice remains an important part of the area’s history.

“Rice is very important,” Street said. “It used to be a big, and it still is, but it’s just not as much as it used to be.”

Street said rice farming has also remained a family tradition for people in the area. His godchild is a third-generation rice farmer, while his father-in-law and brothers-in-law were also rice farmers.

The festival features several food options, but one of its most popular attractions is the rice ball.

Organizers prepared more than 16,000 rice balls for this year’s festival. Street said visitors who want to try one should arrive early because they can sell out quickly.

“You gotta do a rice ball,” Street said. “If you’re gonna come Saturday you better come early. Usually by 7 o’clock they’re gone.”

The rice balls are made with help from hundreds of community volunteers.

Kelley Touchet, a volunteer with St. Louis Catholic Church, said the church’s festival booth has been part of the event since its first year in 1969. Volunteers prepare rice balls, gumbo and chili.

Touchet said as many as 300 volunteers can help prepare the rice balls at one time. The process includes cooking the rice, rolling the meatballs into the rice, coating them in egg wash and then dusting them with cornmeal or Parmesan cheese.

The festival also gives local organizations an opportunity to raise money.

Street said local churches and vendors use the event as a major fundraiser. He said the festival organization has also put about $1 million toward scholarships and back into the community over the years.

For families attending the festival, the event has become an annual tradition.

Christopher Lowery, who has lived on and off in Winnie for about 12 years, said he tries to attend each year and brought his son to enjoy the rides and activities.

“It’s a nice amusement park for everybody,” Lowery said.

The Texas Rice Festival continues through Saturday at Winnie-Stowell Park.