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Crawfish tacos, crawfish boudin, crawfish bread pudding and more at this weekend’s Crawfête

If there is one thing we Louisianan’s impatiently anticipate most, it is crawfish season. Maybe it’s spending time outside in the warm spring weather, or the camaraderie that typically accompanies a large crawfish feast, but the moment it begins to get a bit warmer, all of our attention turns to those mudbugs and how soon we can enjoy them.

With the peak of the season just around the corner, the Baton Rogue Epicurean Society is supplying all our crawfish needs with Crawfête this Sunday, Feb. 24. The event promises culinary creativity, live music, drinks and lots of fun right in the center of Perkins Rowe in and around Bin 77.

Guests can enjoy unlimited crawfish-centered plates ranging from boiled crawfish to more creative dishes, all looking to win awards selected by attendees and judges. And good news for everyone: Local restaurants and caterers are bringing their absolute A-game when it comes to what they are putting on the table. Creative plates like Asian Cajun Crawfish Tacos from Juban’s, Crawfish Bread Pudding from Ruffino’s or Crawfish Towers by Houmas House are sure to be hits, while classics like Walk On’s Crawfish Etouffee will definitely hit the spot.

If you are wanting to stick to the basics, don’t fret. Boiled crawfish varieties will be plenty, as 15 different restaurants and groups compete for the best boiled crawfish in the city. And just in case any of the crawfish gets a little too spicy, general admission tickets get you unlimited beer and soda to wash it all down.

Baton Rouge Epicurean Society board member Stephen Hightower, who is also the owner of City Pork Hospitality, says this event is the perfect way to celebrate the beginning of Baton Rouge’s most flavorful season.

“This is the official kick-off to the crawfish season in Baton Rouge,” Hightower says. “I don’t know what other crawfish festivals they have out there, but as far as I know, there is none as big and as good as this one is going to be. It’s a celebration of crawfish, period. From gourmet to boiling—you name it, we have it.”

But at its roots, Crawfête is also about doing good. All proceeds from the event will go to the Baton Rouge Epicurean Society and the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation, which both focus on philanthropic ventures throughout the state.

Crawfête 2019 is Sunday, Feb. 24, 2-5 p.m, at Perkins Rowe on. Tickets and more information are available at crawfeteBR.com.