Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Oct. 15, 1987, edition 1 / Page 17
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underlheTsun THE BRUNSWICK^BEACON Thursday. Octnber 15, 1!)H7 a^nd''^,ldrbL'Ir' Breeding waits to dip Zm outThoT'" ELSIE VUKOVICH and her husbqnd int,. fc •. u ST PHOTO AT SUSArj USH[R v..lun,ecrJu,l, Kv„„,M,ysu' ;tlf, BY SUSAN USHER It was incredible. An army of at least 200 volunteer workers watched in amazement as 200 bushels of roasted oysters, 50 gallons of clam chowder, 2,000 hot- dogs, 500 pounds of coleslaw, 60 gallons of raw oysters, “oceans” of soft drinks and 2.500 pounds of flounder disappeared in a matter of hours as an enthusiastic crowd of more than 15,000 crowded onto the grounds of the Seaside Community Market for the N.C. Oyster Kestivjil Saturday and Sunday afternoons. "The crowd was pleasant and had plenty of time and plenty of things to do," .said Chamber President Don Evans. "They could actually spend four or five hours at the festival." And stay they did, browsing among approximately 70 arts and crafts and Oyster Festival Draws Record Size Crowd civic booths, eating, people-watching and enjoying a full schedule of enter- tiiinment. At one point Saturday, the line for oysters in the shell was so long ticket sellers were suggesting that patrons try again later unless they wanted some other menu item. For the Saturday supper crowd, the menu choice was reduced by one; the last oysters in the shell had been setwed by 1:30 p.m. Inside one of three .sheds, several hundred devotees diligently picked out oysters with var\ing levels of .skill throughout the afternoon, one group replacing another as spaces opened up. “People who come to festivals like this seem to enjoy the crowds and clutter. They like sharing a table with other people and getting to know them, said Anne Marie Schettini, executive director of the South Bninswick Islands Chamber of Com merce, which sponsors the annual festival. “Having measured portions makes it easier for that to happen.” For some shucking was really war fare, man against oyster, with battle scars the proof. Others dived in con fidently, sliding meaty oysters down waiting throats without benefit of .sauce or seasonings. • They're great!” said Mark Lechner of Myrtle Beach. S.C. “You'd better get some quick before they run out." Carrying his son Bart in a pack on SIAff PHOIOBT DOUOSUIIID TEEN MISS BRUNSWICK COUN TY TAMMY SMITH of Leland treats Sunday’s crowd to a gospel tune. his back, Ix;chner was shucking a milk crate full of oysters as his wife. Amy, fed Bart spoonfuls of slaw. Their daughter, .Megan, was almost hidden from view by the long plank table. Some peopled traveled long distances for their first oysters of the year, like Bernice and .John C. Dalby of Toledo, Ohio. The two .stationed themselves in a well-lit corner with several crates of oy.sters and three grandchildren. ‘You tell them we came all the way from Toledo for this, said Dalby. “Last year we came on Sunday and there weren't any oysters. So this year we came on Saturday." The lialbys arc spending tlie Columbus Day holiday with fami ly members in Sanford. This year the fresh oysters, though more limited in quantities, were more of a draw than ever, offering a legal opportunity to sample this year’s crop before the official harvest season opens on Oct. 15. Now in its 7th year, the festival drew double the attendance of last year’s event, an estimated 15,000 over the weekend. Attendance was fueled not only by pre-season oysters but also by the highly-publicized skills of Cathy Carlisle of Boone’s Neck, the state and U.S. oyster shucking champion. Chamber President Don Evans said e.xcellent weather and increased pro motional efforts by the chamber also were contributing factors. A nervous Carlisle took the stage Saturday to successfully defend her state shucking title before TV cameras and an audience of hun dreds—and against five competitors. Emerging with an adjusted time of 2:40:27 after judges added 36 seconds in penalties, she goes to the U.S. Shucking Championship in I,eonard- stown, Maryland, this month as both returning national champion and second-time state champion. While entries were up for the shucking contest, participation in the Brunswick County Veterans’ Bullshooting Conte.st was off. with on ly four contestants. Warren Sing, “the redneck from Bebnont" and last year’s first runner-up won the trophy with his tide of a hunt through the C.reen Swiimp for “Big C.eorge," a 104-point buck that at the critical mo ment, he couldn’t shoot, and his en counter with a nine-foot long cat kdl- ed by “water on the brain." He also challenged Brunswick I'eunly’s “inlemalional" reputation Sor bulLshooting, announcing the first (laston County Bullshooters Contest to be held in Cramerton on .Saturday. First runner-up Kathleen Poole of .North Myrtle Beach. S.C., the first woman to enter the contest, heard about it on the radio and entered at her husband s urging. “I never dreamed there weren’t women that did that,” she said later. “My friends id Sunset Beach are always razzing me about BSing. I’m in their ter ritory now, so I decided I’d do it. They’ll be shocked." A tractor-trailer driver from Salisbury, Robert ’’Cowboy” Willard, was second runner-up. He said it was his first public speaking experience. Fellow driver Dean Troutman got him to enter. “We get to lying and carrying on over the CB," said Willard. The only local entrant was Ijiwrence Floyd, a fisherman from Grissettown, who told of a snake so big it took two chain saws to cut it up. f\ new addition—a stage—provided a focal point for the .shucking and bullshooting contests and for a con- tinous .stream of entertainers, some -scheduled, others unscheduled, in cluding iwd popular area groups, Tina Smith and i!rn.s.sr(>ad.s and the Old Dock (loggers, and on Sunday, several area go.spel group.s. Evans attributed the overall suc cess and smooth operation of the festival to the chamber membership and the leadership of Festival Chair man .Allan Dameron and his commit tee. “We have a veiy active chamber membership. That’s the reason for the success of the festival. It was nice to have 200 volunteers. But everything was there in place ready for them to work. That was what the festival committee took care of.” '1 MAH PHOIOB* SUSAT4 USM|b WARREN SING of Belmont tells of his hunt through the Green Swamp for "Big George" to lake top pri/.e in the Brunswick (ouiity Veterans Bullshooting Conte.st Saturday. He’s ehallenging Brunswick’s claim to inter national bullshooting fame with the first flaston County Bullshooting Con test, to be held in Cramerton on Oct. 17. SIAM PHOIO0T SOSA*4US»l*' E.MPI.()YEF„S OF two local co-ops. Brunswick Electric and Atlantic Telephone, rack up the last of the 200 bushels of oy.sters served in the shell Saturday. The oy.sters ran out about 4:30 p.m. FESTIVAL COVERAGE CONTINUES ON FOl.LOWINi; PA(;f; .. ... AV OOUC# iUlllR BON SCOUT TRtHIP m of Shallotte provided the N.C. Oyster Festival with plenty of volunteers for Sunday’s cleanup. This foursome includes (from left) David Horne. Jason Home. Mark Ixigan and Chris Arnold
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 15, 1987, edition 1
17
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