Texas Crab Festival

Texas Crab Festival Music, Art and Crabs - Gulf Coast Style

May 7-9, 2026
Swedes Park
1605 Hwy 87, Crystal Beach, TX 77650

Admission:
Thurs: $5. Fri. $15.
(4)

Sat. $15
Weekend Pass: $25. Children 15 and under: Free

No pets or coolers, please. Cruise on down to Crystal Beach, Texas for the Texas Crab Festival! Enjoy a full weekend of gulf coast style music, art, food and fun for the whole family! The Texas Crab Festival features a Crab Gumbo Cook Off, Crab Legs Contest, Wiener Dog Races, Live Auction, 5K Race, great food, coastal art and live music from

a lineup of Texas gulf coast favorites! Savor a variety of crab specialties and festival favorites as you browse booth after booth of beachy arts & crafts, jewelry, beachwear, gifts and gear. Splash into the fun of the Crab Races, Two-Step Dance Contest, Washers and Corn Hole Tournaments, Scavenger Hunt, games, contests and giveaways. Tickets are $10 for Friday or $15 for Saturday admission. Kids 15 and under are free. Everyone gets in free on Sunday, and parking is free all weekend. Carnival ride wristbands are half-price at $10 on Sunday. Bring a beach chair to settle in and watch the bands. Sorry, but no coolers or pets, please. All proceeds benefit Texas Crab Festival Charities, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to increase educational and career opportunities for Bolivar Peninsula residents of all ages, and to support local organizations that further the goal of “turning the tide for a brighter future.”

We have always referred to them as our "sponsors," but in recent years, we have seen that they do MUCH MORE than provide...
05/27/2026

We have always referred to them as our "sponsors," but in recent years, we have seen that they do MUCH MORE than provide funding for events and billboards.

They have become our partners in every aspect of the Texas Crab Festival, from planning and logistics to helping with advertising and sharing on social media. Our sponsors and volunteers are true partners in this mission, and the Crab Fest would not be possible without their generosity.

On behalf of the Texas Crab Festival and Bolivar Peninsula Charities, we say THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS who are new to the family and those who have remained committed throughout the years! Your dedication and vision are an essential part of who we are as a 501(c)(3).

To learn more or donate:
https://bolivarpeninsulacharities.org/
www.txcrabfest.org

THEY'RE HERE! THE 2026 FUN RUN PICS ARE LIVE!Enjoy the memories of this classic Crab Fest event for many years to come. ...
05/25/2026

THEY'RE HERE! THE 2026 FUN RUN PICS ARE LIVE!
Enjoy the memories of this classic Crab Fest event for many years to come.

**PLEASE TAG TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL when you share and post the pics on Facebook and Instagram.

Visit ahhshoot.com under EVENTS for your complimentary downloads, courtesy of:

Ahh Shoot! Photography

Bolivar Peninsula Charities

Texas Crab Festival 

The Salty Mermaid Crystal Beach & Galveston

(Thanks again to Prestige Custom Builders for their partnership and Camp Margaritaville for hosting.
Special gratitude to the partners above for providing the complimentary photos!)

Many of our washers teams use the Texas Crab Festival Washers Tournament to brush up on their skills before the summer b...
05/24/2026

Many of our washers teams use the Texas Crab Festival Washers Tournament to brush up on their skills before the summer beach season begins. They're serious about this game, and it shows on their faces as they compete for the title and $CASH$ prizes.

Congratulations to our 2026 winners!

1st: Ring Slingers - Ty Vincent & Chase Padilla
2nd: Grove Boys - Collin Walker & Conner Manuel
3rd: Funky Cold Medina - Aston Medina & Mattie Medina

(Thank you to Parker's Building Supply for your steadfast support!)

The Crab Legs Contest is a time-honored tradition at the Texas Crab Festival, and 2026 was a fantastic year for particip...
05/22/2026

The Crab Legs Contest is a time-honored tradition at the Texas Crab Festival, and 2026 was a fantastic year for participation! Our contestants posed, crab-walked and danced their way into the hearts of the judges and took home trophies for their efforts.

This one was for the kids.....AND THE grownups!

Winners:

Avery 0 - 4

Harlee 5 - 8

Charley 9 - 12

Claire 13 - 17

April 18+

(Thanks to our friends at Neches Federal Credit Union for being our partner for this special event!)

www.txcrabfest.org

The winners of the 2026 TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL GUMBO COOKOFF are:1st Gumbros2nd Family Tradition 3rd Ephran Team (from Geor...
05/21/2026

The winners of the 2026 TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL GUMBO COOKOFF are:

1st Gumbros

2nd Family Tradition

3rd Ephran Team (from Georgia)

People's Choice Cowboy Cookers

Even with some weather-related cancellations, 5 teams showed up early in the morning to begin putting together their tried-and-true crab gumbo recipes.

Approximately 200 PEOPLE showed up for the gumbo tasting event, which is always a hit! The tasters take the job very seriously as they sample each entry and cast their votes for the People's Choice Award.

CONGRATS TO ALL!

(A huge THANK YOU to the Ship's Wheel for continuing to be our partner for this event!)

Proceeds benefit the Bolivar Arena Association.

www.txcrabfest.org

Meet our 2026 TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL SCAVENGER HUNT winner, Tammy Penn!The Scavenger Hunt has become a two-day event during...
05/19/2026

Meet our 2026 TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL SCAVENGER HUNT winner, Tammy Penn!

The Scavenger Hunt has become a two-day event during which contestants take a self-directed journey through the festival grounds. It's a family-friendly competition, rewarding those who can follow whimsical clues and persevere until the very end!

CONGRATULATIONS, TAMMY!

www.txcrabfest.org

2026 was the 13th year for the Texas Crab Festival Fun Run.This year, the event was hosted by Camp Margaritaville R/V ...
05/17/2026

2026 was the 13th year for the Texas Crab Festival Fun Run.

This year, the event was hosted by Camp Margaritaville R/V Resort and included a 5K for adults, a 1K for children and the 0.0K Chill and Cheer for those who would rather sit in their lawn chairs and support others!

Here are the top results, and you can find the complete results by following the link.
https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/Overview/105367

(Thanks to Prestige Custom Builders for their partnership and support.)

FEMALE - Julie Cunningham, Magnolia, TX 22:14

FEMALE MASTERS - Michelle Genzel, Fate, TX 23:33

FEMALE 0 - 19
1st Lorelai Lemke, Magnolia, TX 23:51
2nd Kiley Geary, Port Bolivar, TX 25:22
3rd Gracie Rebec, Brookshire, TX 25:53

FEMALE 20 - 29
1st Dezrae Caldwell, Conroe, TX 24:12
2nd Atkyn Meachum, Austin, TX 26:25
3rd Annabess Tiner, Franklin, TN 27:10

FEMALE 30 - 39
1st Brittany Morgan, Coronado, CA 24:42
2nd Tori Biddle, Beaumont, TX 26:00
3rd Shayna Harper, Beaumont, TX 28:16

FEMALE 40 - 49
1st Allison Wright 26:26
2nd Felisha Harris, Brownsboro, TX 29:01
3rd Meegan Coleman, Lumberton, TX 29:28

FEMALE 50 - 59
1st Sandra Dennis, Sour Lake, TX 25:58
2nd Rene' Williams, Kountze, TX 28:26
3rd Tobi Jane Wyatt, Brentwood, TN 30:30

FEMALE 60 - 69
1st Ana Christensen, Beaumont, TX 25:37
2nd Lynell Ann Addis, Port Bolivar, TX 26:11
3rd Molly Molenaar, Brazoria, TX 35:39

FEMALE 70+
1st Diane Lewis, Port Bolivar, TX 48:36
2nd Kathy Spivey, Sour Lake, TX 49:02
3rd Joy Smith Houston, TX 51:13

MALE - Eli Parrish, Fulshear, TX 18:07

MALE MASTERS - Aaron Laplaca, Anna, TX 20:36

MALE 0 - 19
1st Coleten Collier, Orange, TX 19:45
2nd Gavin Harper, Beaumont, TX 20:43
3rd Gauge Endsley, Port Bolivar, TX 27:13

MALE 20 - 29
1st Kyle Garcia
2nd Thatcher Frankfather, Brentwood, TN 27:27
3rd Camben Frankfather, Franklin, TN 28:43

MALE 30 - 29
1st Casey Fattig, Spring, TX 20:10
2nd Blake Keener, Magnolia, TX 22:15
3rd Bryce Burnett, Beaumont, TX 24:02

MALE 40 - 49
1st Luke Emfinger, Nederland, TX 23:33
2nd Jo Cleary, Port Bolivar, TX2 4:12
3rd Christopher Zmolik, Mineola, TX 24:23

MALE 50 - 59
1st Jace Garza, The Woodlands, TX 24:50
2nd Russell Waters, Conroe, TX 25:24
3rd Raymond, HUffman, Crystal Beach, TX 27:24

MALE 60 - 69
1st Robert Brown, Kingwood, TX 23:26
2nd Tim Neckar, Houston, TX 23:26
3rd Kelly Carmichael 25:30

MALE 70+
1st Hollis Gassen, Kingwood, TX 43:47
2nd John Smith, Houston, TX 56:41
3rd Johnny Haley, Crystal Beach, TX 57:19

If you're a seasoned Crab Fest visitor, you know that Friday night always brings the excitement with the Texas 2-Step Da...
05/16/2026

If you're a seasoned Crab Fest visitor, you know that Friday night always brings the excitement with the Texas 2-Step Dance Contest! Dancers compete for cash prizes in two categories: UPBEAT AND SLOW dancing.

Here are the 2026 winners!

1st- Dustin and Summer from Montgomery, Texas (brother and sister duo)

2nd- Polly and Samuel Saavedra

3rd- Karl and Wendy Kibodeaux

***Special Guest 2-Stepper, Lead Singer of The Teague Brothers, John Teague! (John danced with a lady named Jen or Jennifer.)

Thanks to all of our participants and to
Crystal Beach Marketing for continuing to bring us this special event!

www.txcrabfest.org

There are so many origin stories for the game of horseshoes that you may never know how the game really began. You won't...
05/15/2026

There are so many origin stories for the game of horseshoes that you may never know how the game really began. You won't be surprised, however, to learn that Americans claim the first-ever world horseshoes tournament!

Now, we have a world-class competition right here in Crystal Beach! Here are the winners of the 2026 TEXAS CRAB FESTIVAL HORSESHOES TOURNAMENT!

If you missed this one, you have a year to practice.

Special thanks to Harold's Bait & Tackle & Pat's Coffee Shop at the Beach.
..AND THE WINNERS ARE...
1st: Stangela - Steve Darwin & Angela Dawn
2nd: Bolivar Boys - Brad Orr & Alex Garcia
3rd: Waterways Warriors - Bryan Tracy & Kim Tracy

CONGRATULATIONS!

www.txcrabfest.org

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHELLE WILSON, the winner of the Texas Crab Festival Golf Cart Raffle!This drawing always takes pla...
05/13/2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHELLE WILSON, the winner of the Texas Crab Festival Golf Cart Raffle!

This drawing always takes place on the last day of the festival, and we were honored to have Zane from DeMontrond RV draw the lucky ticket! Also pictured is Tom Osten, Bolivar Peninsula Charities board member. (Right)

Special thanks to COBB REAL ESTATE for generously sponsoring the raffle!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to drop into our website throughout the year. It's never too early to plan for the 2027 festival!
www.txcrabfest.org

Address

Crystal Beach, TX
77650

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