Hard News: St. Paul’s Crawfish Cook-Off

(COVINGTON, La.) The smell of fresh boiled Crawfish sweeps the streets of Downtown Covington as people gather on St. Paul’s campus for the annual Crawfish Cook-Off.

Every year, Louisianians look forward to the beginning of crawfish season, and nothing is better than people boiling the crawfish like their lives depend on it. 

Nick Picone, St. Paul’s alum states, “I graduated years ago and I come every year. It’s a tradition at this point; I know other guys feel the same way. I can’t wait for me and my buddies to get a group together and hopefully win one year.”

The annual crawfish cook-off takes place in Downtown Covington on the campus of St. Paul’s School on Jahncke Ave. This event is open to the public and helps to raise money for Hope House of Saint Tammany, St. Paul’s School, and the Alumni Association while also putting on an event that the public is able to enjoy.

Hope House of St. Tammany is formally known as the Children’s Advocacy Center. Hope House is a non-profit organization that helps provide support to children of abuse in St. Tammany and Washington Parish. It was established in 1994, and since then, the center has provided a comprehensive, trauma-informed approach to help children and families heal from abuse for many years.

Year after year, Alumni look forward to the cook-off and the light-hearted competition at their alma mater. Cook-off participants spend hours prepping their booths - some hanging up custom-made signs and others unpacking their best crawfish decor. Each one hopes to end the day by walking away with the grand prize and the ultimate bragging rights. 

 St. Paul’s alum Tripp Doolittle says, “It's not just a crawfish boil. It feels like a class reunion every year. My graduating class was very close, so getting to see all of my boys is something I enjoy doing. It’s also a great networking opportunity since a ton of alumni are here in one place.”

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