Arts & Humanities Council

The Arts & Humanities Council of Southwest Louisiana is proud to give Imperial Calcasieu the first annual Arts & Crabs Experience on Saturday, August 7, at Prien Lake Park from 3 - 8 p.m. The event puts a spotlight on the importance of locally caught seafood while promoting regional art and culture in a family-friendly setting on the Calcasieu River.

With the help of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Arts & Crabs Experience aims to ensure the continuity of Southern Louisiana's food culture by celebrating the reconstruction and rebirth of Cameron Parish's seafood industry after Hurricane Rita in 2005. The endless perseverance of Southwest Louisiana's residents is nowhere more apparent than in the continued strengthening of Imperial Calcasieu's seafood industry in the face of the current environmental hardships that face the Gulf Coast. This act of creating an event centered on Louisiana's culinary culture will re-inspire pride in our community while encouraging locals to take part in the rebuilding and rediscovery of their Cajun and Creole cultural heritages.

Several local chefs will be on site serving samples of crab-themed dishes, and Abita will also be on hand to pair each dish with a free and complementary sample of a regional beer. Crab dishes will be served from 5 - 7 p.m. Prien Lake Park will also feature kids' activities, demonstrations, craft and informational booths, additional food vendors, live music by Zydecane at 3 p.m. and City Heat at 6 p.m., and an art walk along the riverfront.

The Louisiana Poet Laureate, Darrell Bourque, will be the event's Honorary Master of Ceremonies, and at 5 p.m. he will give a reading of his poetry on the main stage. Bourque grew up in a rural community near Grand Coteau, and he is currently Professor Emeritus at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. His books include Plainsongs, The Doors Between Us, Burnt Water Suite, and The Blue Boat.

The Arts & Crabs Experience will be held in conjunction with the Council's annual fundraiser, the Gold Key Quest raffle. Participants who buy a $50 ticket will be entered into the drawing, which will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the park during the Arts & Crabs Experience, and will be eligible to win one of ten fabulous prizes, including a $10,000 grand prize provided in part by Bolton Ford.

Wristbands are priced at $15 and grant participants access to sample all of the crab dishes and beer samples. A portion of the Arts & Crabs Experience proceeds will go towards helping to combat the Gulf Coast oil spill.