SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The 38^th Annual SWEPCO Mudbug Madness Festival returns to the riverfront this Memorial Day weekend with music, food, and fun for everyone.

The festival is held Friday, May 27 through Sunday, May 29 from 11 am to 11 pm each day. 

Friday there is no charge until 5 pm.  After 5 pm on Friday, regular admission is $6.  Children under seven are free, and anyone with a Military ID will receive free admission as well.

Mudbug Madness will feature two performance stages, Kids on the Bayou Stage and activities, artisan booths, food vendors, crawfish eating contests, festival souvenirs, a Cornhole Tournament and Challenge, and plenty of cold beverages and boiled crawfish.

The NBC 6 Madness Stage will feature The Revelers, The Chee Weez, and Grammy award-winning Shenandoah. 

Other Madness Stage performers include Amanda Shaw, After Midtown, Bayou Gypsy, Dwayne Dopsie, and many more.

The FOX 33 Swamp Stage will feature Parish County Line, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, and Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience. 

Other Swamp Stage performers include Cypress Knees, T Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers, Blue Crab Redemption, and Ole Whiskey Revival.

Kids on the Bayou will feature magicians, dancers, karate demonstrations, and youth bands.  There will also be a Rock Wall, hands-on art activities in grab-and-go bags, food and artist vendors,  Bricks for Kids Lego experience, and a Video Game Truck.

Special events will include the popular Celebrity Crawfish Eating Contest on opening day at noon featuring local on-air personalities and VIPs, the crowd-thrilling Men’s Crawfish Eating Contest Saturday at 1 pm, and Crawfish Calling Contest Saturday at 4:15 pm, and the Women’s Crawfish Eating Contest Sunday at 2:30 pm. 

Returning to Mudbug Madness again this year is the CONTERRA Networks Cornhole Tournament.  Including a Business Challenge Friday with up to $2000 going to charity; Luck of the Draw Challenge on Sunday with a $1000 split payout; and the main tournament on Saturday with a total payout of over $1500. 

Other special features of this year’s festival will be the Friday $5 Lunch Specials on Friday and all-day Happy Hour with $3 beverage prices from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the Shiner Beer Garden. 

“We have built a fabulous festival this year,” says Festival Chair, Terri Mathews.  “In addition to exceptional music and food, every inch of the festival site will be full of exciting vendors and programming including interactive sponsor booths, tasting booths, cornhole tournament, and a beer garden.  The sights, sounds, and smells will be the perfect kick-off to summertime.”

For more information on Mudbug Madness, please visit www.mudbugmadness.com.