▁in ▁which ▁shell fish , ▁whether ▁salt water ▁or ▁fresh water , ▁is ▁the ▁central ▁element . ▁Regional ▁variations ▁dict ate ▁the ▁kinds ▁of ▁sea fo od , ▁the ▁accompan iments ▁and ▁side ▁d ishes , ▁and ▁the ▁prepar ation ▁techniques ▁( bo iling , ▁ste aming , ▁b aking , ▁or ▁raw ). ▁In ▁some ▁cases , ▁a ▁bo il ▁may ▁be ▁spons ored ▁by ▁a ▁community ▁organization ▁as ▁a ▁fund - ra iser ▁or ▁a ▁mix er . ▁In ▁this ▁way , ▁sea fo od ▁bo ils ▁are ▁like ▁a ▁fish ▁f ry , ▁bar bec ue , ▁or ▁church ▁pot l uck ▁supp er . ▁Bo ils ▁are ▁also ▁held ▁by ▁individuals ▁for ▁their ▁friends ▁and ▁family ▁for ▁a ▁week end ▁get - t ogether ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁hol id ays ▁of ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁and ▁Independ ence ▁Day . ▁While ▁bo ils ▁and ▁b akes ▁are ▁tradition ally ▁associated ▁with ▁coast al ▁regions ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁there ▁are ▁exceptions . ▁ ▁Louisiana ▁ ▁S hr imp , ▁c rab , ▁and ▁craw fish ▁bo ils ▁are ▁a ▁Louisiana ▁C aj un ▁tradition ▁and ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁across ▁Louisiana ▁and ▁can ▁even ▁now ▁be ▁found ▁along ▁the ▁G ulf ▁South . ▁But ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁more ▁popular ▁craw fish ▁bo il ▁that ▁is ▁most ▁closely ▁associated ▁with ▁Louisiana . ▁The ▁Bre aux ▁Bridge ▁C raw fish ▁Festival ▁in ▁Louisiana ▁has ▁been ▁named ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁ 1 0 ▁food ▁events ▁by ▁USA ▁Today ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁show case