The Gulf Coast of Mississippi earns its reputation for larger-than-life events such as hurricanes and oil spills, but always emerges stronger than ever with a deeply engrained cultural identity that embraces the region's seafood bounty. The celebrated crawfish gets an annual music festival in its honor every spring, drawing thousands of die-hard crustacean devotees who indulge in boiled crawfish while dancing the days and nights away to live music performances by local and world-famous entertainers.
Know Where to Go
- The coastline of Mississippi spans the Gulf of Mexico from the Alabama state line to the border of Louisiana, with the city of Biloxi standing out for its spacious beaches and grand casinos. It is also home to the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, which sponsors the annual Crawfish Music Festival. The event takes place in two phases on consecutive 4-day-long weekends in April. With an average of more than 55,000 attendees each year, event coordinators recommend purchasing advance tickets and arriving early for parking and concert seating.
Crawfish Low-Down
- Though music is a major component of the festival, the crawfish itself competes for top billing with devoted fans of both. A crawfish cook-off is serious business, for the competing chefs as well as for the culinary connoisseurs of this regional delicacy. Typically served with corn and potatoes, the spicy crawfish boil is plopped on steaming hot plates and handed over to hungry patrons who eagerly await the judge's and people's choice awards. Throughout each festival day, vendors serve up Cajun crawfish wraps, oyster po'boys, swamp pies and shrimp creole. Don't be surprised to find a bit of gator and crawfish hidden inside your savory bayou cheesecake.
Zydeco and More
- Biloxi is less than 100 miles from the state line of Louisiana near New Orleans, making it a sure-fire reality that Cajun, Creole and zydeco music dances its way merrily over to the crawfish festival in the springtime. Throw in some rock, blues and country, and you get the picture: a southern hoedown with some bayou fiddling and foot-stomping good times. Look for local performers as well as renowned stars such as Charlie Daniels and Montgomery Gentry. The annual "Search for a Superstar" event highlights aspiring regional entertainers who compete for money and fame.
Don't Forget the Kiddies
- Families are more than welcome at the Crawfish Music Festival, with a special section devoted to the little ones. North American Midway sets up shop every year with an old-fashioned carnival ambiance featuring swing rides, Ferris wheels, spinning tops, nostalgic arcade games and prizes. Themed rides and games such as lollipop swings and wacky worms cater to the youngest festival-goers. Armbands provide unlimited rides and entertainment during specified hours of the festival.
