On Saturday, April 27, 2019, Downtown Laurel will welcome the hungry masses for our second Crawfest! Teams from across the south will bring their top secret crawfish recipes to compete in the Community Bank Downtown Crawfest. We are incredibly excited to partner with the Sertoma Club of Laurel to bring another fun and exciting event to downtown!
Know Before You Go
At 8:00 a.m. the teams will begin setting up and decorating their booths along Front Street. Feel free to come early, watch the teams cook and maybe figure out their secret ingredient! All of the teams will prepare their recipes from scratch as attendees look on. The event officially begins at 11:00 a.m. when Lloyd “Hurricane” Munn & the Forecasters take the stage. For just $15 per person, you can taste as much crawfish 
and fixins’ as your belly can handle. For $30 per person, you’ll enjoy five pounds of crawfish from the Craw Daddy Shack, plus all the tastings from our teams. Children 12 and under eat free. Upon entry, everyone will receive one ticket to vote for People’s Choice. This is easily one of the most coveted awards of any competition so be sure to vote for your favorite! No crawfish can be served until the judging begins at noon. For those who can’t or don’t eat crawfish, Chick-fil-a will be on-site with options for purchase. We suggest bringing cash. Checks will not be accepted as payment for entry. However, if you forget or run out of cash, an ATM is located at 401 Central Ave. at the Laurel Welcome Center.
Please note: Although we love our furry friends, we ask that you leave your pets at home. Thank you!
We’ll also be “splitting the pot” for a chance to win a cash prize! Purchase one ticket for $10 or 5 tickets for $40 at Community Bank or at Crawfest. You do not have to be present to win.
At noon, our expert panel of judges will taste each entry and decide who wins the prize in each category. Winners will be announced at 2:00 p.m. All prizes have been generously provided by Community Bank.
Traditional Boil Award: $500 and a large platter by Mandy Buchanan
Covfefe (add-ins) Award: $500 and a large platter by Mandy Buchanan
People’s Choice: $100 and small platter by Mandy Buchanan
Spirit/Decorations: $100 and small platter by Mandy Buchanan
The Downtown Crawfest officially ends at 4:00 p.m., but we encourage you to stay downtown, eat out, and enjoy the after-party and live music at Slowboat Brewing!
Additional Food and Drink Options
While most of the south is crawfish crazy at this time of year, we understand you might want some other options to cool down your mouth. We’re happy to announce that Chick-fil-a of Laurel will be on-site!
Southern Beverage will be on-hand with your favorite Budweiser products and your hometown favorite, Slowboat Beer. If you plan on purchasing or drinking beer at this event, please remember to bring your I.D.
Be sure to stop by the Laurel Main Street concession trailer to purchase your Crawfest T-shirt! Laurel Main Street will also be selling Coca-Cola products and water.
Kids’ Activities
Thanks to the generous donation of Leadership Jones County and Team “Fours of Nature” the Imagination Playground blocks will be available for kids to get creative and play all day!
Thank you to our incredible Sponsors and Producers!
Events like the Downtown Crawfest just wouldn’t be possible without the support and backing of local businesses. These sponsorships help pay for the prizes, supplies and more! Their donations also help fund the Laurel Main Street Facade & Amenities grant and are directly responsible for the improvements you see in Downtown Laurel. Additionally, this event will the benefit the Sertoma Club of Laurel whose mission is to enhance the lives of those who have Speech or Hearing impairments.
