Twist ’n Snap Crawfish Boil

Distilling the essence of a beloved city into an annual celebration

Date
May 2022

Location
Fiesta Gardens

Scope
Branding, Experiential, Illustration, Print, Digital

Role
Art Direction & Design

Background

Crawfish boils are a springtime staple in Austin, and this event was specifically designed to celebrate the city and its culture in all its “weird” glory. The event’s full name was “Keep Austin Weird Presents; The Twist ’n Snap Crawfish Boil,” and took place on May 14, 2022 at Fiesta Gardens. Twist ’n Snap, of course, references the best way to eat crawfish while also sounding reminiscent of a bygone dance step.

Conceptually, we framed the visuals around the idea that Austin grew into its “weirdness” from receiving an equal dose of Cowboy and Hippie culture, resulting in a harmonious (cosmic cowboy) fusion that’s often seen today.

We let this idea guide our sources of inspiration, starting with vintage show posters, which blend letterpress printing with bright colors and bold type choices. We also wanted the sound of our local musicians (another Austin must-have) to inform the design as well—so we dialed up the grit and let more texture seep through.

What began as a crawfish-focused design evolved into a website, social and ad campaigns, print posters, shirts, koozies, hats, and event signage, making for a really fun (and hopefully a little weird of an) experience.