CAMBRIDGE — Give a taste to some less traditional preparations at the outdoor Crawfish Boil & Muskrat Stew Fest on Feb. 24 in Cambridge. Muskrats, crawfish, brews and tunes create an unconventional, but tasty, event every February in downtown Cambridge.

The Crawfish Boil & Muskrat Stew Fest is set for 1-6 p.m. in Cannery Way in the 400 block of Race Street.

The Crawfish Boil and Muskrat Stew Fest boasts the most unique festival menu on the East Coast, prepared by Chef Patrick Fanning of High Spot, and features muskrat stew, smoked muskrat, muskrat gravy fries, muskrat chili dogs, boiled crawfish, crawfish cakes, crawfish mac & cheese, crawfish chowder, and raw oysters along with conventional festival food like burgers and hot dogs and french fries.

This year features the second annual Muskrat Leg Eating Contest at 4 p.m.! If you want to brave the contest, sign up at the High Spot Gastropub, 305 High St., Cambridge. Last year’s champion Chuckie Hayward will defend his world title.

The outdoor event features live music with the great blues music of Jimmy Cole and his All Star Band, food, libations, and more. Cole returns to headline this year’s festival,

Cole began his career as a teenage blue grass picker in county fairs and festivals, but honed his craft in the challenging Cellar Door hootenanny sessions, where crowd reactions offered determined the length of your set. The result, many decades later, is a tireless and inspired blues performer with the ability to dip into his bluegrass roots to keep a crowd on its toes.
“Every year, I ask around about bands, and everybody tells me the same thing – ‘bring back Jimmy,’” said event organizer Keith Graffius, “So, that’s what we’re going to do.”

“This is one of the town’s flagship events, and because there isn’t any other food event like it in the world, it always attracts a great combination of visitors as well as some of our more colorful locals,” said Brandon Hesson, the associate director of Economic Development for the City of Cambridge. “This is such a great opportunity for our community to get out and experience something unique.”

This is an outdoor event. In the event of rain, festival-goers can take cover at the High Spot Gastropub, 305 High St., Cambridge.

The Crawfish Boil and Muskrat Stew Fest will be a ticketed entry. Admission is five dollars and helps support the Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce scholarship fund. Local craft beer, hand-crafted bloody mary’s and orange crushes will be available, as well as non-alcoholic options.

Eastern Shore business Crabi Gras is organizing the event. For more information visit www.facebook.com/crabigras or call 443-477-2189.