Annual crawfish boil benefits Old Depot

Published 10:06 pm Thursday, March 23, 2017

A little piece of Louisiana came to Selma on Thursday night at the Old Depot Museum’s annual Low Country Boil.

The Back Door Band filled the George P. Evans Reception Hall with authentic Cajun music while hundreds of people had their share of crawfish and shrimp.

The boil is the largest fundraiser for the museum and provides funds for projects and upkeep. Robin Woodson, an Old Depot board member, said this year the museum is hoping to put a cataloging system in place to document all of its items.

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“It’s very, very beneficial for the museum. It’s the largest fundraiser that we have, and it produces the most amount of revenue that we do all year at one time, and it can do numerous things,” Woodson said. “We’re trying to do a catalog system so that we can catalog all of the items in the museum, so we can secure all of the items and do grant work.”

Woodson said she always enjoys attending the event because it’s an event for everyone, and it raises awareness of the museum.

“It’s a very exciting event because everybody can come to it.  It’s all inclusive for Selma,” Woodson said. “When we do this event, it makes people more aware of the museum and the things that Selma has to offer.”

Nora Sellers attended the event for the second year and said after last year she had to come back.

“It was so great last year,” Sellers said. “You see so many people in the community that you know. Good food, good music. I love it.”

Sellers said she recently took her two grandkids to the museum to let them see what all it has to offer.

“I brought the grandkids [to the museum] Tuesday for the first time … and they just thought it was the coolest thing they have ever seen,” Sellers said.

Woodson said when they first started the event, it was small with not many tables, but over the years it has continued to grow into a large event with hundreds of people.

“The interest is great. People are asking every year when it’s going to happen,” Woodson said. We’re trying to figure out ways to grow it bigger and better without losing the intimacy of what it is. It’s fun because you get to go out and enjoy good food, good music and not even have to worry about ordering your own food.”