The Best Of The Bayou: Michael Arnone’s 21st Annual Crawfish Fest

Posted by Maria Miaoulis in Blues Events, Jazz Events

June 6th, 2010   No Comments »

Some young ladies displaying their French Quarter fashions.

What do you do when you can’t get to New Orleans? Why, you bring the best of the Bayou to NJ instead!

This weekend marked the 21st anniversary of the Michael Arnone Crawfish Fest at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta, NJ. The three-day extravaganza featured the very best in music and food that Louisiana has to offer. Naturally, we here at Jazzville NJ had to check it out for ourselves, all for the sake of accurate reporting of course (wink, wink).

To say that we had a great time would be the understatement of the century! We had our pick of music styles ranging from Jazz, Cajun, Zydeco, Gospel, Brass, Delta Blues and New Orleans R&B. The bands were electric and literally kept the crowds on their feet from beginning to end. Personal favorites included George Porter Jr. and the Runnin’ Pardners and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. If you’ve never heard of either group, I definitely recommend you give both a listen. Or check out some of the audio here. I guarantee you won’t be able to sit still!

And the food!  Goodness gracious! Whether you wanted to try New Orleans classics like boiled crawfish or jambalaya, delicious treats like beignets, or exotic entrees like grilled alligator sausage, your palate wasn’t left disappointed.

All in all, it was an awesome experience – a feast for all the senses that truly brought the New Orleans culture into your heart. Can’t wait for next year!

Listen to a clip of George Porter Jr’s band:

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JazzvilleNJ.com photos of the day’s events:


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