Syracuse, N.Y. — It’s spring in Syracuse, and that means it’s time to pinch the tail and suck the head.
We’re talking about crawfish, of course. The annual Syracuse Crawfish Festival is back this weekend.
It brings hot and spicy crustaceans, plus lots of other food, music and activities, to Clinton Square from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 7. (See more details below).
And, as always, the first big outdoor downtown festival of the year benefits Operation Northern Comfort, a local nonprofit that runs several community initiatives. Those include building and supplying desks, bookshelves and more to needy school children.
This year one of Northern Comfort’s big efforts is a project coordinated with All Saints Catholic Church to renovate a house in Syracuse for use by an immigrant family. (See our story on that later this week).
The Crawfish Fest started in Syracuse’s Hanover Square in 2008 as a fundraiser for what was then called Operation Southern Comfort. Founder Norm Andrzejewski started it as a group of volunteers who headed to the Gulf Coast to help rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. It later transitioned to Northern Comfort to focus on projects closer to home.
The original Louisiana connection is what led the group to adopt a crawfish fest as its big public fundraiser. (Spring is crawfish season on the Gulf Coast). The group flies up hundreds of pounds of live crawfish, along with other seafood and some Louisiana natives to help supervise the boiling.
And that helps with the always vexing question for first-timers: How do you eat a boiled crawfish?
The video above features a how-to from Darren Chavis, owner of Creole Soul restaurant in East Syracuse. But Laurel Flanagan, who took over as fest director from Andrzejewski this year, says you’ll find help at the event itself.
The boil area is located near the corner of Salina and Water streets. That’s where you pick up your order.
“The benefit of that is you pick up along the gate where the guys are boiling, and they’ll be happy to take the time and show you how to do it,” Flanagan said. “That’s part of the entertainment.”
This year’s fest will also include a tribute to Ukraine, starting at about 3:15 p.m.
This will be the first Crawfish Festival in Clinton Square since 2019. The 2020 fest was cancelled by Covid, and the 2021 fest was a take-out only event in the Inner Harbor.
Syracuse Crawfish Festival 2022
When: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 7
Where: Clinton Square, downtown Syracuse
Music and event schedule: 11 a.m.: National Anthem by Mikell DeGiorgio; 11:15 a.m.: Unity Street Band; noon: LeMoyne College Father Major Scholarship Award; 12:05 p.m.: The Confabulateurs; 1:30 p.m.: Mascot Dance-off; 1:45 p.m.: Soul Risin’; 3:15 p.m.: Salute to Ukraine; 3:45 p.m.: Ripcords; 5 p.m.: PGR Inc. Health & Wellness Dance Team; 5:15 to 7 p.m.: Brass Inc.
Food Stands: Crawfish and Shrimp Boil (crawfish, shrimp, corn and potatoes); Crawfish Bread; Crawfish Mac & Cheese; Pulled Pork Sandwiches; Clams (clams, sausage sandwich, hotdogs, salt potatoes); Cajun Café (gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice); Beignets (beignets, coffee); Beer (Budweiser, Bud light) and Wine; Soda (Pepsi Products) Water
Food Trucks: Bold Coast Lobster; Ma & Pa’s Kettle corn; Carvel Ice Cream; Cue Dogs; Toss & Fire Pizza; Skinny’s Blooming Onions; Byblos Mediterranean; Wine Slushies; Bird Song Cafe.
More: There’s also a Kids Zone, crafters stands, and non-profit tables. Most vendors take cash or credit and there will be an ATM on site.
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.