Every year, people gather in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, the Crawfish Capital of the World, for the annual Pardoning of the Crawfish, similar to the Presidential Pardon. It was first held in 2017 by Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and held on the first Tuesday of Mardi Gras. It celebrates crawfish season in the state and across the Gulf South.
This year, Firmin the Crawfish got an official pardon by Lt. Governor Nungesser and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board.
“It only seems fitting that we would pardon a crawfish in Breaux Bridge, the Crawfish Capital of the World. At least this little guy will be saved from ending up on someone’s plate during the Crawfish Festival in May or on restaurant tray or in a backyard boil,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser.
Festival queens even traveled to watch Firmin get his freedom. Students also made crawfish decorations, waved crawfish flags, and wore crawfish beads for Firmin’s ceremony.
Louisiana is the largest producer of crawfish, producing roughly 150 million pounds every year.
Story via Press Release from Office of the Lieutenant Governor
