Arts & Crabs Fest returns Aug. 18
The Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA and the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau are proud to announce that the annual Arts & Crabs Fest will return 4-8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, in the Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall.
Arts & Crabs Fest began in 2010 as a response to the BP oil spill, and it aims to celebrate the ties between Louisiana seafood and culture by offering a comprehensive experience of the best of Southwest Louisiana’s culture, food, music and art.
For a $25 wristband, festivalgoers can access an extensive crab and beer-tasting venue that will feature 10 restaurants, each offering a crab dish that is representative of their cuisine’s styles and personalities. Dishes range from crab cakes and crab au gratin to crab ceviche and crab gazpacho. Each crab dish will be paired with a complementary Abita beer sample, which will include brews that are not often seen in restaurants, such as the Abbey Ale, S.O.S., and Strawberry Lager. Similar to a wine pairing, each Louisiana beer will complement each dish’s unique flavors and textures.
Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience will headline the event. Terrance’s music crosses borders and languages, and he has been pivotal in the preservation of Creole Zydeco music with his work in global educational outreach for both children and adults in countries such as Cuba, West Africa, and Mauritius. Opening for Simien will be local band Skipper M. Drost & The Six Dollars A Day Band.
A limited number of wristbands will be sold. Wristbands can be purchased online at www.artsandhumanitiesswla.org. Arts & Crabs Fest is held in conjunction with the Arts Council’s Gold Key Quest raffle drawing fundraiser. $50 raffle tickets can also be purchased online and count as a one-year Arts Council membership. Ticketholders get the chance to win one of 10 prizes including a $10,000 cash grand prize, weekend getaways, laptops, and more.
Arts & Crabs Fest is sponsored by the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau; the Pinnacle Foundation; KVHP/FOX 29/the CW; Abita Beer; Louisiana Division of the Arts; Louisiana Lottery, Bolton Ford, First Federal Bank of Louisiana; L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles; Tallgrass Farms; the Sweet Lake Land & Oil Co.; Knight Media Printing; the Jambalaya News; Walmart Foundation; Bijoux Fine Jewelers; Union Pacific Foundation; Tobacco Free Living; and Coca Cola.
Proceeds from Arts & Crabs Fest benefit the Arts Council and its efforts to support and develop the arts in Southwest Louisiana. For more information on Arts & Crabs Fest or Gold Key Quest, contact the Arts Council at (337) 439-2787.