Crawfish Festival Breaux Bridge, La May 4-6, 2012

In Louisiana, it goes by many names: Crawfish, crayfish, écrevisses, crawdads, mudbugs. Only something greatly loved has so many names, and no place loves the crawfish more than Breaux Bridge. Every year, the first weekend of May, the city pays tribute to the king of freshwater Louisiana crustaceans with the annual Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival. Since the first Crawfish Festival in 1960, it has grown to become one of the most popular annual events in a state known for popular annual events.

It starts, of course, with the crawfish. At the Crawfish Fest, you’ll find them prepared just about every way possible – boiled crawfish, crawfish bisque, crawfish pie, crawfish étouffée and fried crawfish, to name a few. You’ll also find an array other Louisiana favorites.

Music is the second biggest draw, and it fills the air at the Crawfish Festival all day long and into the night. Regular performers include some of the shining stars of Cajun, Zydeco and Swamp Pop musical styles, such as Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, the Pine Leaf Boys, Chris Ardoin & NuStep, Lil Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers and many more.

Fest-goers enjoy all the standard festival attractions, too. There’s a carnival midway with rides and games for all ages, numerous arts and crafts booths and a heritage tent highlighting various aspects of South Louisiana culture. Those with a strong competitive spirit can enter their pick of contests, including crawfish races, Cajun and Zydeco dance contests, a crawfish étouffée cook-off and a crawfish-eating contest.

If you can’t make it to the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, try Judy McIlhenny’s Crawfish Étouffée at home.

Directions: The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival is held at Parc Hardy, 2090 Rees Street, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517. Breaux Bridge is located about 40 miles west of Baton Rouge, 110 miles from New Orleans, 90 miles from Lake Charles and 240 miles from Houston. Traveling on I-10, take exit 109. Turn south onto Rees Street (Hwy. 328). Proceed on Rees 2 miles. Parc Hardy will be on the left, after the first traffic light.

For more information, visit www.bbcrawfest.com.