Oyster Bay, NY is the place to be this weekend - Oct. 17-18, 2009 for the 26th annual Oyster Festival. It is the largest waterfront festival on the East Coast. It opens at 11:00 AM and ends at 6:00 PM.
There will be plenty to eat at the food court, rides for the kids, petting zoo, oyster eating contest, raffles, arts & crafts and food galore. There will be a pirate section for kids with demonstrations and interactive treasure hunt. The main attraction this weekend is the oysters. Enjoy them fried, in stew or just cold on a half shell with a squirt of lemon and dash of hot sauce. The oysters being featured come from the Oyster Bay Harbor, delivered fresh courtesy of Dave Relyea and the Frank M. Flower and Sons, Inc. Oyster Company
In addition to oysters and other seafood, there are choices of hamburgers, funnel cakes and fried Oreos. They also have bratwurst, tacos, gyros, potato, steak sandwiches, homemade sausage and peppers, potato pancakes, zeppolis, and even knishes. The Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce will host an Elias Pekale antique show on Audrey Avenue. There will be a 5K run at 9:00 AM on Saturday. An oyster eating and shucking contest will be on Saturday at 2 PM on the Verizon West End Avenue Stage. Come see if Oyster Shucking champion Dave Menahan of Long Beach will retain his title for the tenth time.
The Oyster Festival is bringing a truly beautiful tall ship Clipper City and a local hard-working tugboat Cornell, constructed in the Jacobson shipyard in Oyster Bay 50 years ago, for viewing at the Western Waterfront. U.S.S. Growler and U.S.S. Liberator from the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point will also be here.
Christeen, the oldest oyster sloop in America originally built in 1883 will also grace the festival.
Optimum, the Ultimate Air Dogs and the United Kennel Club bring a collection of some of the country's most impressive dock-diving canines. Dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds will amaze crowds as they compete against each other taking leaps off a 40-foot dock and pool in "Ultimate Air" mixing long-distance diving with rounds of competition called "Splashes." Also, check out "Fetch It" - A combination both height and distance. Measures how far a dog can jump while grabbing a bumper suspended 4' above the water and ‘Catch-It'. Free. Location: Theodore Roosevelt Park
Revenues from the festival will help over two dozen non-profit organizations in Oyster Bay. The Oyster Festival is organized and operated by the Oyster Bay Rotary Club.
Oyster Bay residents are gearing up for a deluge of people this weekend WEATHER PERMITTING. If the weather cooperates, there is a chance we can get as much as 200,000 people in the two days (Saturday & Sunday) of the Oyster Festival. The Oyster Festival has grown so big that it has been relocated to a bigger space by the beach few years ago. It used to be in town but the town could not really pack so many people downtown. By two o'clock, you could barely move, it was so crowded. When they moved it to the waterfront, the Oyster Festival got bigger with more food stalls and the arts & crafts section doubled and now includes rides and entertainment for kids.
You can either come by car, by LIRR or by sea. The Sagamore Yacht Club, a short walk to the park offers moorings/anchorage. Call 516-922-0555. For parking, there are designated parking areas throughout the town. Free parking and free shuttle bus service are available. There is also an expanded LIRR schedule to Oyster Bay with special excursion fare from Penn Station and Jamaica. No pets are allowed in Theodore Roosevelt Park. This is also a non- alcohol event although restaurants in town sells beer in their premises. So come on over and enjoy our festival. Nothing like it in Long Island.
Copyright © 2009. By Rosalinda Morgan, "The Rose Lady". All rights reserved.. *OYSTER FESTIVAL IN OYSTER BAY, NY THIS WEEKEND - OCT. 17-18, 2009*
If you are interested in selling or buying a home in Brookville, Muttontown, Oyster Bay, East Norwich, Oyster Bay Cove, Syosset, Laurel Hollow, Bayville, Centre Island and Mill Neck, please contact Rosalinda Morgan, "The Rose Lady".
Ph - 516-385-0584
Email - linda@rosalindamorgan.com
Website - www.rosalindamorgan.com
