By Joe Cunningham
LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Now that the Mardi Gras beads are mostly cleared from the utility lines and we are firmly in the Lenten season, Louisiana has shifted into a different kind of celebration—one built around backyard boils, spicy steam rising from giant pots, and tables covered in newspaper and crawfish shells.
Here in the Bayou State, the arrival of crawfish season isn’t just about the food—it’s about family, community, and culture. Boiling crawfish is both a ritual and a reunion. From church fundraisers and tailgate parties to Good Friday feasts and Sunday suppers, the crawfish boil has become a sacred springtime rite.