Gator by the Bay Brings Cajun Flavor to San Diego This Weekend

Tuesday, 05 May 2009
Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216

The tastes and sounds of the Louisiana Bayou are coming to San Diego May 9 and 10. The 8th Annual Gator by the Bay will offer something for everyone to sink their teeth into - all the Cajun Creole food you can think of. The largest Cajun and Zydeco festival on the West Coast celebrates the music, food and culture of the Bayou at the Port of San Diego's Spanish Landing Park this weekend from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"It's as though the best of laid-back Louisiana got picked up and dropped down on San Diego's Big Bay for two sun, music, food and family fun-filled days (this) Mother's Day weekend," said Maryann Blinkhorn, a member of the event's production team.

Gator by the Bay imports over 8,000 pounds of live Crawfish for an authentic Louisiana Crawfish Boil. "If you leave hungry it's only because you just could not make up your mind," Blinkhorn said.

"Other featured authentic dishes include (but are not limited to) jambalaya, red beans ‘n' rice, ‘gator on a stick, seafood gumbo, chicken gumbo, file gumbo, crawfish e'touffee, crab cakes, catfish, greens, hush puppies, barbeque ribs, tri-tip, chicken, sausage, corn, (still hungry?) sweet potato pie, pecan pie, bread pudding, peach cobbler, homemade ice cream and funnel cake, to name a few," said Blinkhorn. There are also vegetarian options.

This year, you can treat mom to live entertainment, since it falls on Mother's Day.  And she might be among the lucky winners of this year's big prize: a drawing for two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines. To win, you just need to complete a survey on site.

This year, the lineup includes eight Cajun and Zydeco bands, nine Blues/Swing bands and four Country groups. There are also Swing, Country, Cajun and Zydeco dances and dance lessons under shaded festival tents. There is a children's activity center, costumed New Orleans style daily parades, strolling entertainers and a quality artisan marketplace.

General admission is $20, and anyone under 17 gets in free if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Admission to the evening dances is $15.

There are more parking options with regular and timely shuttles to and from the Festival. Multiple shuttles will run frequently and no trip will take longer than 10 minutes with a very short wait between shuttles. For more information visit San Diego Festival.com or call 619-234-8612.

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