Community comes out for inaugural Crawfest to support non-profit

JACKSON, Tenn. — Over one thousand pounds of craw fish were served up Saturday evening at the first ever Crawfest, an event benefiting a local non-profit organization, Scarlett Rope Project.

“If you’re not choking from the spices, you probably didn’t do it right,” said craw fish chef Eddie Stephens.”Yeah, it’s good. That smells delicious,” said WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Reporter Amanda Gerry.
“It’s a little overwhelming, but it’s good when it comes out,” Stephens said.

It was all about the craw fish Saturday at the West Tennessee Farmer’s Market in Downtown Jackson, every bucket equipped with all the fixings.

“As you can see, pineapple, bologna, brussel sprouts, potatoes, corn, celery,” said Will Stone, craw fish chef.

Organizers say Crawfest is a party with a purpose, benefiting local non-profit organization the Scarlett Rope Project, that provides a safe place for survivors of sex trafficking.

“We do trauma therapy with them. We do art classes, budgeting classes, parenting classes; basically a woman comes into our program, and we develop a plan of care for her with short term, long term goals,” said Julanne Stone, director of the Scarlett Rope Project.

So Julanne says her and her husband decided to take their love of craw fish to the community, to help support a good cause.

“Who are some of the best boilers in town,” asked Will. “I want those people on my team.”

And put together a team they did. Eddie Stephens says he came all the way from Louisiana to share his expertise.

“It’s about cleaning the craw fish, putting the right seasonings in it, and just making a real good rue, so they can baste in it, they can soak,” said Stephens.

Organizers say they were excited to see Jacksonians acquiring a taste for this southern tradition.

“I’m ecstatic because I love to eat them and I love the commradery we have getting together and boiling these all for a good cause,” Will Stone said.

Julanne says they are hoping to raise around $17,000 from the event Saturday. She says this money would be used to help build a new Scarlett Rope Safe House over the next two years.

The Stone’s say this was the first year for the Crawfest, but they hope it will become their signature fundraiser for years to come.