TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL, 2019
By Linda Elissalde
Texas Crab Festival where music, art and crab come together moved to a new venue for the 2019 celebration. New home! Great music! Myriad artists! Delicious crabs and other tasty vittles, with rides, contests and multiple vendors! Numerous volunteers hustled to have everything up and ready for the 34th Bolivar Peninsula Extravaganza. What could go wrong?
Gulf Coast weather has a mind of its own. A tremendous storm broke on Thursday night and continued into opening day on Friday. However, there was a spot of sun just in time for opening ceremonies. Festivities continued into the evening with Wayne Toups closing out the night. Saturday brought more bad weather with intermittent lightening, copious amounts of rain, and a breakdown in electrical power. Even though Entergy reported (erroneously) that there would be no power until Monday night, most vendors stayed the course. So did workers and volunteers. Those hearty little golf carts were ready to drive patrons through gooey, muddy fields. Workers kept their sense of humor and renamed the event: MUD FEST!
The weather cleared again on Saturday evening. Everything opened up and crowds hurried back. Folk gyrated along with Bag of Donuts until closing time. What is a little mud to Bolivar celebrants? Mother’s Day Sunday produced glorious sunshine. Cars parked in Bay Vue UMC parking lot while golf cart drivers chauffeured guests to their destinations. Children took part in contests, danced to music or just ran around in the mud. Attendees sloshed happily through wet grass to enjoy music, art and more crabs.
The spirit of Mother of Texas Jane Long permeates Bolivar Peninsula. Her example of surviving and thriving despite adverse conditions still resides in residents today. Despite overwhelming odds, the 34th annual Texas Crab Festival proved that The Show DID Go On, and that show WILL go on again in 2020!
[5-14-2019]
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Hello! I am interested in being a vendor at next years Crab Festival. When will you start accepting applications?
Thank you!
Jane’s spirit rides again!!!