This last weekend we visited Beekman Beach twice, as did many other local residents. It was as if they were getting use of the waterfront area this week, before the Oyster Festival takes it all over on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Some Oyster Bay residents, not unlike the residents of Venice, Italy, (as told from the over 17 mystery books written by Donna Leon about Inspector Guido Brunetti – and available from the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library) while the residents of Venice love the financial benefit of the tourists, they don’t love the crowds. [If you want to read her wonderful books that are a lesson in the beauty of Venice, start with Death at La Fenice.]
Some Oyster Bay residents say they leave town during festival weekend. While that may be true for some residents – there are a great number of residents who volunteer for the Oyster Festival – sometimes at more than one booth. They also enjoy staying and tasting the great foods at other booths.
The Oyster Festival is a great community event. It is also a great day for the kids and grandkids to come to town. Many families have it on their annual calendar of events.
So, we’ll see you at the Oyster Festival. Especially at the Oyster Eating and Shucking Contest that we always enjoy watching and reporting on. We will also see you on line at the Rotary oyster booth. Oh, those lovely mollusks. We can’t wait to slurp them down. We’ve also been known to buy them to bring home. There are lots of great ways to take part in the festival. That reminds us – there are lobster dinners again to benefit the Mathew Fetzger Foundation, being sold by the North Baymen Association. They are great to bring home too.
Pack some plastic zip lock baggies in your pocket so you can be flexible in your eating decisions. Where else can you find so many great foods in one great location.
“Viva La Festivale de Ostrica!” as Donna Leon would say in Italian.
– DFK
