Now celebrating its 11th year, the Fort Lauderdale Cajun/Zydeco Crawfish Festival kicks off Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and continues Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event features Cajun and zydeco music, which would leave many clueless non-Louisianans asking, "What's the difference?" Well, my ignorant friends, the differences are many. Best to look at the similarities instead. Zydeco is an offshoot of Cajun music, a style of folk music involving an accordion and often a fiddle, an acoustic guitar, and other acoustic instruments. Zydeco, on the other hand, blends Cajun music with rhythm-and-blues and goes electric, generally making for a more raucous, party-time sound. You'll get the best of both at the festival, including zydeco luminaries such as Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band and Cajun bands such as the Red Stick Ramblers. Of course, this wouldn't be a crawfish festival without a heaping pile of mudbugs -- more than 35,000 pounds of the little buggers have been brought in this year. They will be seasoned, boiled alive, cracked open, and then have all their insides eaten -- a real crawfish eater even sucks the spongy stuff from out of its head. Despite this grim fate, Crazee, the festival's crawdad mascot, seems quite pleased with the idea, judging from the festival posters. Advance tickets cost $15, or $23 for a two-day pass and $28 for a three-day pass. Tickets at the gate run $20, $30, and $40. Call 954-828-5934. -- Dan Sweeney
SAT 5/10
Mother's Day
Do something nice for Mom or face the guilt trip from hell
Mothers are evil masters of manipulation. You could forget about Mother's Day, not send a card, not take Mom out for dinner, or whatever else it is your mommy expects from you. But are you ready to deal with the disastrous consequences? If you thought Mom's guilt trip when you didn't call for weeks was bad, just wait. Luckily there are lots of opportunities to take her out. Lake Forest Park (3450 SW 48th Ave., Pembroke Park) hosts a free "Breakfast with Mom" on Saturday at 9 a.m.; registration required -- call 954-985-1915. The Grand Bazaar (5700 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach) features free massages, roses, and sweets from noon to 3 p.m.; call 561-265-3241. For $16 per person, the Woodmont Country Club (7801 NW 80th Ave., Tamarac) offers a brunch and fashion show at 10:30 a.m.; call 954-724-2445. -- Dan Sweeney
