It’s early morning, and the unmistakable scent of freshly boiled peanuts fills the air as people line up in anticipation of savoring the salty, soft treats. Smiles are everywhere, and volunteers scramble to get the first batch ready to sell.
This scene happens every Labor Day weekend in Luverne, when the Crenshaw County Alcazar Shrine Club hosts its annual charity event. The World’s Largest Peanut Boil is a 5 decades-old tradition that gains more popularity with every passing year. Multiple batches of freshly boiled peanuts — delivered from Holland Farms in Florida by the truckload — are prepared throughout the day for 4 full days. By the end of the final day, everything is usually sold out.
Crenshaw County Shrine Club President Andy Compton says the event started in the early 1970s with a group of Shriners looking to raise money. “They got together, bought some peanuts, loaded them on a pickup truck, and started selling a couple hundred pounds of boiled peanuts on the street,” he says.
The fundraiser grew every year, eventually leading to the construction of the shed where it is currently hosted.
The peanut boil is organized and hosted by the Crenshaw County Alcazar Shrine Club, an Alcazar Shriners of Montgomery branch. Each club works to support the mission of Shriners International, “to change and improve lives,” with a focus on philanthropy. The proceeds from the event will benefit Shiners International, the organization that runs Shriners Children’s hospitals and outpatient centers.. Every year, the event is also dedicated to the memory of an Alcazar Shrine Club member or a member’s wife.
The World’s Largest Peanut Boil relies heavily on the help of volunteers who prepare, bag and sell the long-awaited delicacy. “It started as a Shrine Club event and grew into a major community event,” Compton says. “The Crenshaw County Shrine Club still hosts and organizes it, but nowadays, most people helping out with t he event are volunteers. It’s something the whole community looks forward to year after year.”
During the pandemic, crowds were smaller, and volunteers were harder to find. Compton says the event was still a success despite the challenges. “We tried to follow all safety guidelines. There were fewer people helping, and many were being cautious,” he says. “But we were still able to reach our goal and were sold out at the end.”
In 2022, things bounced back to normal. The crew started at 4:30 a.m. firing up each of the five 10-foot long boilers. Each boiler tank holds 750 pounds of peanuts and 250 gallons of water. The peanut boil receives massive support from the entire community, including a local family-owned grocery store that donates 2 tons of salt. The peanut boil attracts visitors from near and far. Some return to the shed multiple times during the weekend to buy more peanuts, and many will drive more than three hours to get their fill.
Compton has been involved with organizing the event since the 1990s, and shares a few stories that show how important the peanut boil is. “This one gentleman stopped by on his way to Florida, but at the time, we were sold out and working on the next batch,” Compton recalls. “He got back in his car, drove his family to Florida, then came back two hours later when the new batch was ready.”
According to Compton, many people come ready to wait in line for several hours. “1 year, there was a lady who brought a chair, a packed lunch and got in line. The line would move, and she would move her chair along. Once she got to the front of the line hours later, we were sold out,” he says. “She just grabbed a book and continued sitting on her chair and reading until the next batch was ready.”
The 2023 World’s Largest Peanut Boil is during Labor Day weekend, when Shrine Club members and volunteers will cook up another 34 tons of boiled peanuts. While the days are long for those working at the peanut boil — starting as early as 4:30 a.m. and finishing by 11 p.m. — Compton says everyone still enjoys participating because of the sense of camaraderie and the opportunity to connect with old and new friends from all over the area.
For those folks who have never been to the peanut boil, Compton offers some valuable advice. “Do you like to wake up early?” he chuckles. “I say the best time to come is before daylight. We often have peanuts leftover from the night before, and you can be sure to get some."
Get updates about this year’s peanut boil and learn more by following the Crenshaw County Alcazar Shrine Club’s World’s Largest Peanut Boil Facebook page.
Wake Up & Smell the Peanuts
The World’s Largest Peanut Boil by the numbers
- 4 days
- 34 tons of peanuts
- 2 tons of salt
- 100 plus volunteers
- 1,000 plus customers
- 53-year-old tradition