Kicking off the night’s program, Cotton Foundation shared updates on Taylor’s Place — a private sanctuary for families facing hardships and the heart and inspiration behind the Foundation. The construction for Taylor’s Place is well underway and we cannot wait to build out a truly meaningful place for families to heal, rest and connect. The countryside retreat is slated to open in Fall 2025.

Cotton Foundation also announced its newest initiative at Taylor’s Place : Serene Saddles Equine Therapy. Designed to make a powerful difference in the healing journey of families and children, Serene Saddles is a mobile therapeutic program that provides physical and emotional support through horse-assisted therapy.

Meanwhile, Cotton Culinary brought the flavor with 6,500 pounds of perfectly seasoned crawfish with all the fixings like potato, corn, sausage, mushrooms and crispy brussel sprouts. In addition, they served up Cajun favorites, including lobster fritters, seafood fondue with baguette, crawfish hand pies, boudin balls, chicken and sausage jambalaya, ending with sweet treats like beignets and Bread Pudding with Jack Daniel’s Cream Sauce. Bar service stayed busy all night with beer, wine and speciality cocktails, keeping the energy high and glasses full.

Guests were treated to the tunes of Bayou Roux and then headliner, Mark Chestnutt throughout the night. As guests mingled, they enjoyed a round or two of boozy ring toss and played “The Jackpot Plop”, where they could bet money on the numbered grid that Cupcake — Cotton’s equine VIP — might leave a “present” after her dinner. They also took part in an exciting auction that featured standout packages like a mule deer and aoudad hunt in Alpine, TX and a luxury getaway to the Westin Beach Resort & Spa at Frenchman’s Reef in St. Thomas.

All in all, it was an unforgettable night with delicious food, meaningful connections and unwavering support for a great cause. Cotton Foundation is deeply grateful for everyone who made CrawFest 2025 a success!

Taylor’s Place is a testament to what hope, love and resilience can build. There’s still time to be part of its story: you can directly sponsor the construction for a specific part of Taylor’s Place and have your name or company name be commemorated!

See full sponsorship opportunities here and donate to Taylor’s Place here.

See you at CrawFest 2026!