The Arts Council, the Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, and KVHP/FOX29/the CW are proud to announce that the 4th annual Arts & Crabs Fest will take place on Saturday, August 17, 2013, 5pm-8pm, at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

This year, Arts & Crabs Fest – SWLA’s only crab and art festival – will deliver a new and improved experience of SWLA’s culture, food, music, and art. For a $25 wristband, festival goers can access an extensive crab and beer tasting which will feature fifteen restaurants each offering a crab dish that is representative of their cuisine’s styles and personalities. Typical dishes will include crab cakes and crab au gratin to crab ceviche and crab gazpacho. Each crab dish will be paired with a complementary Louisiana craft beer sample which will include brews that are not often seen in restaurants. Similar to a wine pairing, each Louisiana beer will complement each dish’s unique flavors and textures.

Live music, local art displays, and interactive cultural activities will also accompany the event. As a “Top 20 Event in the Southeast” by the Southeast Tourism Society, Arts & Crabs Fest is quickly becoming a signature event for Southwest Louisiana and is consistently a sell-out. A limited number of $25 wristbands will be sold which are available now at artsandcrabsfest.eventbrite.com .  Arts Council members will have access to pre-sales on June 17.

Arts & Crabs Fest is sponsored by the Arts Council, Lake Charles/SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau, KVHP/FOX29/the CW, Deep South Productions, Tobacco Free Living, Union Pacific, and Office of Cultural Development. Funds raised at Arts & Crabs Fest are reinvested back into SWLA’s arts communities through the Arts Council’s services and programs. Event sponsorship packages are also available for SWLA businesses. For more information on Arts & Crabs Fest, call the Arts Council at 439-2787.