The 25th Annual Downtown Crawfish Jam Music Festival, Hattiesburg’s Original Crawfish and Music Festival, presented in part by Southern Beverage, is set for April 20 at Walthall Park. DCJ is one of the several fun neighborhood events hosted by the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood throughout the year and serves as their most significant fundraiser for the Walthall Foundation.
The Downtown Crawfish Jam is a pay-one-price music festival that features an exciting mix of musical acts starting at 11 am. The musical acts include Jacob Arnold and the Birddogs, Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble, Mississippi Shakedown, and Taste of 59 South. This year’s festival will be serving up crawfish, burgers, sausage dogs and hot dogs, Coke products and cold beer.
The Downtown Crawfish Jam offers a family-friendly atmosphere fit for all ages. Tickets are available on-line at dcjhburg.com and starting April at the following locations:
T-Bones Records - 2101 Hardy Street, Midtown;
Signs First - 4400 Hardy Street, West Hattiesburg, and
Twin Forks Wine & Provisions, Hemphill Dr., Downtown
Advanced Tickets
- Adult Ticket $50 (includes admission plus all-you-can-eat and drink)
- Junior Ticket $40 (under 21)
- Kids 12 and under free
Valid I.D. required at the gate to receive the “all you can drink beer” wristband. All tickets are all-inclusive. (Crawfish guaranteed until 1 pm only).
“Pets, tents, and coolers will not be allowed in this year,” said Brian Saffle, DCJ Chairman. “We are expecting a large crowd this year, so we are making every effort to make sure our guest enjoy the day. Rain or shine the event will happen, but we are all praying for a beautiful spring day.”
Visitors should be aware that there will be limited parking on the streets in the neighborhood.
Proceeds from the Festival are reinvested in the community through the HHNA and Walthall Foundation; providing support for projects and events in the Downtown Hattiesburg area. Some of these projects include Historic Preservation Projects and upkeep of the Walthall property as well as, events like the Victorian Candlelit Christmas.
For more information: online visit www.DCJhburg.com or find us on Facebook at Downtown Crawfish Jam or email info@dcjhburg.com.
The history of The Downtown Crawfish Jam
Originally called Medical Mudbugs, the Downtown Crawfish Jam was started as a fundraiser to support various non-profits in the Pine Belt. In 1999, a few medical professionals gathered near Lake Sehoy, at the now closed Van Hook Golf Course for on afternoon of music, food, and fundraising. This event was so successful; it was immediately decided to continue it on an annual basis. Medical Mudbugs, now the Downtown Crawfish Jam, has since developed into an event geared toward raising money for the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood’s Walthall Foundation.
In 2011, The Downtown Crawfish Jam took our neighborhood crawfish boil to new heights. With a committee of committed volunteers, the DCJ set out to become this area’s premier, family friendly music festival. Featuring great local and regional music and great food, we are proud to say we succeeded. “What began as a conversation around the water cooler over 20 years ago as a way to help out our community and have fun at the same time has become that, but on a scale that none of us could have envisioned,” said founder Dave Ware. “Thanks to the continued generosity of our sponsors, we are able to support Hattiesburg’s oldest neighborhood, while celebrating our area as Mississippi’s cultural destination.”
Originally called Medical Mudbugs, the Downtown Crawfish Jam was started as a fundraiser to support various non-profits in the Pine Belt. In 1999, a few medical professionals gathered near Lake Sehoy, at the now closed Van Hook Golf Course for on afternoon of music, food, and fundraising. This event was so successful; it was immediately decided to continue it on an annual basis. Medical Mudbugs, now the Downtown Crawfish Jam, has since developed into an event geared toward raising money for the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood’s Walthall Foundation.
In 2011, The Downtown Crawfish Jam took our neighborhood crawfish boil to new heights. With a committee of committed volunteers, the DCJ set out to become this area’s premier, family friendly music festival. Featuring great local and regional music and great food, we are proud to say we succeeded. “What began as a conversation around the water cooler over 20 years ago as a way to help out our community and have fun at the same time has become that, but on a scale that none of us could have envisioned,” said founder Dave Ware. “Thanks to the
continued generosity of our sponsors, we are able to support Hattiesburg’s oldest neighborhood, while celebrating our area as Mississippi’s cultural destination.”
