Two crawfish festivals this weekend
Too bad we can’t have a crawfish festival in the spring and another in the fall, but you have to have the party when you have the crawfish. This is prime time as both our big festivals are this weekend.
On Saturday, the
Bayou Overton Square Crawfish Festival
is noon-6 p.m. in Overton Square and on Sunday, the is Downtown 11 a.m.-7 pm.
Both events are free, but they both benefit good causes and you can spend a little money to have a VIP experience and know that it will go to a good cause.
On Saturday, Special Olympics Greater Memphis is the beneficiary. A VIP ticket, which is $100, gains you entry to a reserved area where you can eat crawfish, jambalaya and other Louisiana
Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival
favorites all day, plus beer and beverages.
The Bayou Overton Square festival is located from Madison and Cooper to Madison and Morrison. There’s no general admission fee, and you purchase crawfish, beer, food and Bayou Crawfish merchandise throughout the day. This is the first year for the Crawfish Eating Contest; you can enter by going to the T-shirt sales tent to sign up. the contest will be held between band changes around 3:30 p.m. (live music all day), but be sure to get signed up early as space is limited. Entry fee is $25 and winner takes home a $300 gift basket and bragging rights.
How many crawfish can your eat in 20 minutes? Get your VIP tickets by going to bayoucrawfish.brownpapertickets.com. For general admission, just show up.
On Sunday, headed Downtown and do it all again. The
to benefit Porter-Leath is on Wagner Place and Riverside Drive, between Beale Street and Union. General admission is also free, but you can get a VIP Swamp pass and reap the benefits of a private tent (private with other VIPers, not one of your very own).
Ticket to the Swamp are $125 per adult or $225 per couple; it’s $50 for children 6-12, $75 for 13-20, and free for kids 5 and younger. Admission includes crawfish and other food, beer and soft drinks, and two drink tickets for a margarita or a hurricane. Other events at the festival include crawfish bobbing, eating, and racing, arts and crafts vendors, and a play zone for children ages 12 and under. There’s also a gumbo judging contest. Buy your tickets online at porterleath.org.
This and that
On Friday, head over to
that morning for your chance to be on Food Network’s “Burgers, Brew & Que.” The show will be filming most of the day and will feature some Elwood’s favorite for an upcoming episode with host Michael Symon. Good company and food guaranteed.
I can’t believe I haven’t done this and I’m going to try to do it this weekend:
is back for two nights, Sunday and Monday. It’s an interactive dinner where you enjoy a nice meal and help solve a whodunit presented by the Detectives Mystery Dinner Theatre. Cocktails are at 6 p.m. and dinner and the show begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $55 per person and reservations are required. Call 901-761-4000; the restaurant is at 1239 Ridgeway Road.
CA Lunch Bunch
Ready for another great meal? Join me April 20 at
492 S. Main, for a three-course meal and fine company. Sign up by going to calunchbunch.commercialappeal.com, clicking on the calendar for the date and entering a bit of information. The website will be live by noon Monday and you need to jump on it; seating is limited and will fill quickly. Hope to see you then.
April openings
Plans are for to start hosting a series of soft openings in the coming weekend and to be open April 16 at lunch. The new restaurant will be open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. It’s in the former Jim’s Place space at 518 Perkins Ext and word is the remodel is pretty fantastic. Hours will be Monday through Saturday, lunch 11
carefully combine all ingredients except oil and flour. Cover and chill 30 minutes, if time permits. Shape into 8 patties. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Lightly dust patties with flour, and cook over medium heat for 3–5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Serve with Horseradish Sauce. Nutritional information per serving: Calories 149, Calories from fat (%) 6, Fat (g) 6, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 81, Sodium (mg) 278, Carbohydrate (g) 10, Dietary Fiber (g) 1, Sugars (g) 1, Protein (g) 12 Diabetic Exchanges: starch, 2 lean meat Nutritional information per serving: Calories 22, Calories from fat (%) 50, Fat (g) 6, Saturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 0, Sodium (mg) 48, Carbohydrate (g) 2, Dietary Fiber (g) 0, Sugars (g) 1, Protein (g) 1 Diabetic Exchanges: Free Source: “Trim & Terrific Gulf Coast Favorites,” Holly Clegg a.m.-2 p.m.; bar menu 2-5 p.m. and dinner 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; close at 11 p.m. On Friday and Saturday, dinner is 5-10 p.m. and the bar menu is available until 11 p.m. with a midnight closing. Sunday brunch is 10 a.m.-3 p.m., bar menu 3-5 p.m., dinner 5-9 p.m. and close at 10 p.m. Look for a First Bites soon.
closed a few months ago after a kitchen fire, and it’s also going to open this month. The hope was it would open by April 1 (same with Strano), but everything takes a little longer than expected. It’s on track to open this month, though an exact date is still pending. I’ll give you one as soon as I have it.
And as I reported last week, look for 117 Prime steak house at 117 Union to be open for dinner starting April 23 and lunch soon after that.
Contact Jennifer Biggs at 901-5295223 or biggs@commercialappeal.com. Friend her on Facebook at facebook.com/jennifer.biggs.100 and follow her on Instagram and Twitter @jenniferbiggs1.