The crawfish boil isn’t a tradition we can lay claim to here in Nashville — our friends in Louisiana get credit for that culinary genius — but we’ve embraced it wholly in Middle Tennessee all the same.
Once peak mudbug season starts — spring and early summer always bring the best and most wallet-friendly hauls — you’ll see crawfish boils popping up all around Nashville, most of them showing due deference to the celebration’s Cajun roots, with ample spice, plenty of potatoes and corn and a respectable amount of beer on tap.
More events will surely get announced as we get further into spring, but we like to pre-plan here at ACRE, so we already have a list of Nashville crawfish boils at the ready, going down from now into early summer.
If you’re eagerly awaiting your first 2018 boil, too, here are a few Nashville crawfish boil events from East Nashville to Bellevue, to drop onto your calendar:
Tennessee Brew Works: Cutaway Crawfish Boil
Craft beer lovers should clear out some time Saturday — Nashville brewery Tennessee Brew Works is doing their crawfish boil with personal flair, boiling their bugs in their own Cutaway Rye IPA, with locally sourced andouille sausage alongside for good measure. They’ll have live music at their place throughout the day, and you’re welcome to bring your pups, too.
When: Saturday, March 10, 2018, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Tennessee Brew Works, 809 Ewing Ave, Nashville (Pie Town, near The Gulch)
Admission: free
More info: Cutaway Crawfish Boil event page
19th Annual Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil
This one’s a huge annual riverfront event that’s built for big, hungry crowds, with more than 4,000 pounds of fresh crawfish headed to Cumberland Park, along with Louisiana-style sides, beer and lots of local music. The party has a charitable function, too: Proceeds will benefit Nashville’s The Little Pantry That Could, which provides produce and shelf-stable food to needy Nashvillians every week.
When: Saturday, April 7, 2018, 4 to 9 p.m.
Where: Cumberland Park, 592 S 1st St., Nashville (on the East Nashville side of the river)
Admission: $44.95 – $79.95, tickets available through Eventbrite
More info: 19th Annual Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil event page
3rd Annual Nashville Notes Crawfish Boil
For the third year in a row, the Nashville Notes Baseball Club hosts a crawfish boil for folks on the West side of Nashville, with all-you-can-eat crawfish and sides, a silent auction, with proceeds to benefit their traveling ball club.
When: Saturday, April 28, 2018, 3 to 7 p.m.
Where: Plantation Pub, 8321 Sawyer Brown Road, Bellevue
Admission: $25 advance tickets, $30 at the door
More info: Nashville Notes Crawfish Boil event page
East Nashville Crawfish Bash
East Nashville’s East Park hosts a mess of food festivals throughout the year, but this is definitely among our favorites. Returning for a fourth year, it’s a free, family- and pet-friendly throwdown that brings a ton of local energy — from vendors and breweries to bands — alongside lots and lots of crawfish.
When: Saturday, May 26, 2018, noon to 9 p.m.
Where: East Park, 700 Woodland St., Nashville (psst: this is conveniently down the street from one of our listings)
Admission: free
More info: East Nashville Crawfish Bash event page
Hope this helps you plan out your 2018 crawfish season in Nashville. Know about any others coming up this spring/summer? Please let us know in the comments or on the ACRE Facebook page!
And if your spring or summer is going to include househunting, along with crawfish hunting, please reach out. We’d love to help you find the perfect Nashville home.