Over 2,000 Crunch Crustaceans

At The Lobster Fest

By Tanjua Damon

They came from everywhere. Over 2,000 people stopped by to consume lobsters and steaks at this year’s 14th annual Sandy Hook Fire and Rescue Company’s Lobster Fest.

People began lining up to feast before 5 pm on Friday, and Saturday the crowd began to gather for their seafood by 4:15 pm, according to B.J. Halstead, who helped coordinate the big fundraiser.

Before the weekend event even began, 1,700 lobsters, 670 pounds of steak, 20 five gallon buckets of potatoes, and 50 cases with five dozen ears of corn were ordered. By Saturday 200 more lobsters had to be purchased to feed the never-ending crowd that ate continuously from 5 to 9 pm. Meanwhile, To the Max played music for every generation until 11 pm. Some of the hungry diners on Saturday night missed out on some corn because the early birds ate it all.

Gary Ramos brought his grandson Denzel to the Lobster Fest, and they each sat at the table with a fire red lobster waiting to be eaten.

“The former fire marshal, George Lockwood, is my wife’s uncle,” Mr Ramos said. “So we try to support this each year.”

George Holick joked that he came all the way from Florida just to attend the Lobster Fest, but later confessed that he was visiting friends.

“I’m enjoying every minute of it,” he said. “I used to live in Danbury.”

A 10-pound lobster named “Big Moe” by Anthony Capozziello was raffled off Friday night. Paul Garsallo from Ansonia won the big lobster.

“It went well. So far I think it was definitely our best year,” Mr Halstead said. “We never had a year where we went non-stop for four hours like this year.”