The inaugural NOLA Crawfish Festival runs during the days between Jazz Fest, from April 25th through the 27th. The fest brings together all the elements of a perfect party: Awesome music, delicious food and plenty of refreshing beer. With music fans everywhere descending on New Orleans for beloved music festival, the city is gearing up to show the world why it’s known as one of the greatest places to party on the planet.

While there’s no shortage of fun to be had during Jazz Fest itself, there is a three day lull in between weekends that cried out for a party, and those pleas were answered by the NOLA Crawfish Festival. Situated in the “Daze Between,” the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when Jazz Fest is resetting itself, the NOLA Crawfish Festival is giving local fans and visitors to the Crescent City alike a way to let the good times keep rolling.

Here’s the top five reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on this incredible opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime combination of authentic New Orleans tunes, food, friends and fun.

1. The Music

The musical legacy of New Orleans will be on display for all three days of the NOLA Crawfish Festival, with appearances by local legends like The Meters George Porter Jr., Dumpstaphunk‘s Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne, The Radiators’ David Malone, Papa Mali, Papa Gros and many more in a series of incredible, once-in-a-lifetime jam sessions. Gathering so many gifted improvisers together and turning them loose guarantees that, wherever the music flows, the players will be ready for whatever they throw at each other. There are also a few of Nawlins stalwart bands on the bill, including Billy Iuso & The Restless Natives, Honey Island Swamp Band, Colin Lake, Mike Zito & The Wheel, and Johnny Sansone who will be delivering sets of home grown funk to the lucky attendees. 

2. The Food

The NOLA Crawfish King himself, Chris “Shaggy” Davis, will be on hand to feed the crowd with his world famous crawfish boil. No stranger to music events, Shaggy has earned a reputation as the “Go to” source for anyone who wants to bring the spirit of New Orleans to their shows across the country. Ever since a fortuitous accident brought him to the city decades ago, Shaggy has worked to unite the community through his lovingly prepared boil.  Using the freshest ingredients and an on-site boiler system, Shaggy will be overseeing the preparation of thousands of pounds of tasty crawfish and fixings for the crowd.  The best part?  The incredible feast is included in the ticket price, and you’ll find yourself bellying up to the buffet tables next to fellow fans and musicians alike.

NOLA’s Crawfish King Is Cooking Up A Whole New Festival

3. The Beer

Thanks to the NOLA Crawfish Festival host, the NOLA Brewery, there’s no worries about running out of tasty beverages to wash down all that scrumptious crawfish boil. The NOLA Brewery has earned a strong reputation for crafting a wide selection of year round offerings like ales, IPAs, stouts and special, seasonal concoctions that reflect the ingredients available during the different stages of the year. To help wash down all the wonderful food, there’s nothing better than an ice cold, hand crafted beer, and The NOLA Brewery is even crafting a special, limited edition signature brew to help wash down all the wonderful food that crowds will enjoy.

4. The Location

The city itself is more than just a backdrop for the NOLA Crawfish Festival; its laid back demeanor and round-the-clock celebration is the very ground on which the event is built. New Orleans is a hodgepodge of building styles that reflects the diverse heritage of its citizens. Countless homegrown legends have emerged from the Crescent City in nearly every genre, from funk to jazz to rock and beyond. And of course, there’s the city-wide commitment to gather together for practically any excuse to party at the drop of a hat! 

5. The Timing

The saddest sounds you’ll ever hear in New Orleans during Jazz Fest are always the last notes of the night. The three days in-between the official event weekends usually leaves diehard music fans adrift during the daytime hours, with nothing to feed their cravings until the night-time shows.  With the arrival of the NOLA Crawfish Festival, those three days are a shining oasis of revelry.

With all the wonderful reasons to attend, it’s hard to imagine a better way to spend the days between Jazz Fest weekend than listening to some of the finest in New Orleans music, bellying up to tables laden with some of the best crawfish boil in the world, and  washing it down with a variety of locally made craft beers. With the addition of the NOLA Crawfish Festival to the Jazz Fest season, it’s possible to spend ten straight days going around the clock in a magical musical marathon. Join the fun and get your tickets while they last HERE.

You can enter to win tickets below!

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