Arts and Crabs – Food, Beer, Music -This Saturday

THIS  IS A "MUST DO" EVENT!

Arts & Crabs Fest will be held on Saturday, August 18th, 2012, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Exhibition Hall at the Lake Charles Civic Center! Arts & Crabs Fest features an extensive crab and beer tasting, an art walk, and live music each year to offer an interactive and educational experience of our SWLA seafood and culture.

Wristbands are now available! For $25, you will receive an exclusive Arts & Crabs Fest wristband which will allow you to sample ten locally crafted crab dishes and ten Abita brews, and you’ll have front row seats to the day’s live music performances and art displays. A limited number of wristbands will be sold, so buy yours today before we sell out again!

All wristbands purchased after Tuesday, August 14th, will be held in will call in the Exhibition Hall lobby.

Arts & Crabs Fest 2012 Menu

121 Artisan Bistro
Mona Lisa Pasta
paired with Abita Light

Cajun Café
Crab-Stuffed Mushrooms
paired with Abita S.O.S.® (Save Our Shore)

Coyote Blues
Crab, Corn & Poblano Soup
paired with Abita Jockamo IPA®

Dairy Barn
Crab & Shrimp Étouffeé
paired with Abita Turbodog®

David Janca, Personal Chef
Lac des Allemands Crab Stew
paired with Abita Amber

The Harlequin Steaks & Seafood
Crab Ceviche
paired with Abita Purple Haze®

The Pioneer Club
Mini Crab Cakes with Smoked Paprika Aioli
paired with Abita 25th Anniversary Double Dog

The Porch Coffee House & Cafe
Crab Casserole
paired with Abita Abbey Ale

Pronia’s Deli
Assorted Cakes
paired with Abita Andygator®

Street Breads
Crab Bisque
paired with Abita Golden

Zydeco legend Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience will headline the event with his Grammy award-winning original music. 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. His music has also been featured in feature films including Disney/Pixar’s The Princess & The Frog and the 2012 blockbuster movie The Lucky One. Opening for Terrance will be local band Skipper M. Drost & the Six Dollars A Day Band.

Over a dozen Lake Area artists representing an entire spectrum of art mediums will be featured at the festival, including Jennifer Linson, Art du Lac, Susan Hebert, Geoff & Debbie Russell, Ali Hay, William Elliott, Ellen Anthony, Julie Dallas, John Poche, among others. The public can also expect artisanal vendors with handcrafted items from jewelry to Scentsy candles.

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 ten amazing prizes including a $10,000 cash grand prize, weekend getaways, laptops, and more.

Arts & Crabs Fest 2012 wouldn’t be possible without the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Pinnacle Foundation; KVHP/FOX 29/the CW; Abita; 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; Coca Cola; LA Tank; Carolyn Woosley; SASOL North America; Ad Source; Deep South Productio