Richard Cross and Dontea Cross man the grill at the Dontea’s Seafood and BBQ booth. 

photos by Bill Graham / The Meridian Star

Brock Chaney and Robert Smith cook up some chicken wings at the Glass, Inc. booth during the Bud & Barbecue cooking competition behind city hall in Meridian Friday evening. The fun continues Saturday with more grilling and a host of Mardi Gras festivities, which begin downtown at 11 a.m.