BBQ Cafe owner John Peeples shows one of the crawfish brought in from the Louisiana coast for the Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

BBQ Cafe owner John Peeples holds a scoop of freshly boiled Louisiana coast crawfish during the Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Mary Francis Johnson (l) with Remi in her lap attends the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. General Manager Brad Purcell said tables were set up for family units in order to be COVID safe. Photo by Dean Hesse.

General Manager Brad Purcell stands beside a banner welcoming people to the March 27 event.
Purcell said, “BBQ Cafe as a whole is the brainchild of several good friends who all met at Mississippi State in their college days. One of them turned out to be a restaurateur and it developed over the last couple of decades as its own unique spin on barbeque that’s very much of Mississippi and we decided to bring it here to Decatur.” Photo by Dean Hesse.

Scott Martin (l) and Austin Wilbourne toast the occasion with a couple Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company Sun Fox IPAs during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Owner John Peeples stands ready to boil more crawfish during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Peeples said a boil is all about the fun and doing events like this is one of the reasons he and fellow BBQ Cafe owners and lifelong friends Lewis Johnson and Lloyd Solomon got into the restaurant business. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Owner John Peeples prepares to boil another batch of crawfish during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

BBQ Cafe owner John Peeples holds a pair of crawfish brought in from the Louisiana coast for the Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Leah Lalande (l) and Faith Saturley partake during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Lalande said she learned how to eat crawfish from her Cajun ex-husband and Saturley said this was her first time eating them. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Jim and Ann Eskew of Decatur partake during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Jim Eskew works on a crawfish during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Leah Lalande digs into her bowl of crawfish during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

First time crawfish eater Faith Saturley works on her bowl of crawfish during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Crawfish boils are a hands-on affair and plenty of paper towels were used during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

A tray of freshly boiled crawfish awaits hungry attendees during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Rachel Aber partakes of the tasty crustaceans for the first time during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Margaret Turner, on right, takes a bite during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil in Decatur on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Remi, who wasn’t partaking, reacts to the aromas wafting through the air during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.

Owners Lloyd Solomon (l) and John Peeples prepare bowls of freshly boiled crawfish, corn and potatoes for attendees during the BBQ Cafe Crawfish Boil on Saturday, March 27. Photo by Dean Hesse.