BATON ROUGE — Downtown Baton Rouge was filled with the aroma of roux and rice Thursday as the annual Jambalaya Jam wrapped up, raising thousands of dollars for the Capital Area United Way.

About 60 teams hit the pavement for the all-day cook-off, competing for top honors while serving up hundreds of plates of fresh jambalaya to hungry crowds. Beyond the food, attendees enjoyed a full afternoon of live music and community spirit.

Proceeds from the event go directly toward supporting the Capital Area United Way's local programs and community initiatives. Organizer awards and final fundraising totals are expected to be announced in the coming days.