Crawfish Fest Got Its Start in Butler

An unusual animal will make its way to Sussex County next week in truckloads as more than 10,000 pounds of crawfish will be cooked up at the Fairgrounds in Augusta.

The claw-crackin' is all part of Michael Arnone's 24th Annual Crawfish Fest, an event that drew more than 12,000 attendees last year and promises to bring even more guests out beginning May 31 to enjoy the flavors of the bayou, according to NJ Monthly magazine.

But before the Creole-themed three-day festival made its way to Sussex County, the inaugural event was held at a Butler picnic spot.

After Arnone came to New Jersey in the 1980s to work as an electrician, he grew homesick and missed the flavors of his native Louisiana. So, he asked 70 friends to join him at a Butler picnic site to enjoy some jambalaya, southern music and, of course, crawfish, according to NJ Monthly. In fact, Arnone had 300 pounds of live crawfish shipped to New Jersey just for the event.

This year's event will feature the music of Aaron Neville, The Voice of Wetlands, All-Stars and many others, according to the event website. Tickets are on sale for $40 a person until May 28 at midnight.