Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Oyster Festival



Above is a picture of some petrified crabs in a crab pot down at the Onemo public landing.

Unrelated to inedible seafood is the November 6 & 7 Oyster Festival in Urbanna, which is about half an hour from Mathews County.

This Friday night, Big Hair Envy, Ann Marie, Noe Noe Girl and I are meeting in bustling, downtown Shackelfords, Virginia, to discuss plans for next weekend's oyster-related festivities. (Please disregard the fact that there is no planning required to attend a seafood festival, other than to actually attend. This is neither here nor there.)

According to the Oyster Festival website, we can expect the following:

Friday, November 6, 2009
10 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Festival
4:00 p.m. - Oyster Festival Queen and Spat Crowning *
7:00 p.m. - Fireman's Parade
8:00 p.m. - (and I quote:) Special Entertainment Behind the Firehouse**

Saturday, November 7, 2009 - 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Festival
11:00 - Oyster Shucking Contest (State Oyster Shucking Championship) ***
2:00 - Oyster Festival Parade


CBW's Superfluous Remarks on the Proposed Agenda:

* Although there no doubt will be plenty of spitting going on at this event, the spat referenced here is a cute way of saying there will be a Little Miss Oyster Festival crowned. Spat = baby/developmental oysters. Don't you love that word, "spat?"

**Oh my. Marauding Parading firemen. Special entertainment. After a day chock full of oyster eating and spat crowning. Does it get any better?

*** Mental P Mama is coming down for this wondrous event, and I'm thinking we need to enter her in the oyster shucking contest. Based on how quickly she took the foil wrap off a wine bottle--using her teeth--this summer, she has to be a champion at opening an oyster.

According to The Rivah publication, more than 100 vendors will be on site, and over half of them will be food booths. In addition to fried, raw, roasted, steamed, frittered or stewed oysters, you can sample "crab soup, seafood chowder, clams, crab cakes, shrimp, fish, corn dogs, sausages, ...turkey legs, funnel cakes, candy apples, etc." There will be crafts including "handmade furniture, stained glass, woodcarvings, sculpture, pottery,...leather goods, jewelry and more." Bands will perform on five stages throughout the town both days. Certain bloggers will be turned loose on all this, so be forewarned, Urbanna.

Last but not least, I'd like to share the following highly entertaining sentence with you, from the website:

"No water taxis will be operating. The use of the Upton’s Point Marina dinghy dock is available ."

Upton's Point dinghy dock? Upton Point's dinghy dock? Dinghy dock? Dingy? Dock?
Firemen? Parading?
Fried Oysters as far as the eye can see?
Holy spat this is going to be good.

p.s. If you wish to join us, please do. If you already expressed interest, we have you on the list but would still like to hear back for sure that you're coming.

There's plenty of room here at Chez Chesapeake Bay Woman as long as you can put up with a whole lot of spat.

15 comments:

maria from nj said...

Hope y'all have s spat-erific time!

Annie said...

Sounds like fun..sorry I won't be there!
[and don't go rushing up to NY till I get there will you? Cos I know you won't do it twice]!!

Anytime after Thanksgiving'll be just fine!

;-)

Daryl said...

I am heartbroken I cant attend because marauding firemen and special entertainment behind the firehouse has be all a goggle .. and I love spats ... and your two are particularly nice .. even in the developmental stage

Mrs F with 4 said...

I don't know how to tell you this, but there are only two foods I cannot choke down, and one of them is oysters. I would rather eat my own snot. On toast.

(The other is those Devil's cabbages known as Brussel Sprouts)

big hair envy said...

The Special Entertainment behind the Firehouse is my favorite part of Oyster Festival. Well, that and Pirate School;)

I told Noe Noe this morning that beautiful downtown Shacklefords will never be the same after our meeting Friday night!!!

Anonymous said...

I had a kitten named Spat once (because he was a lovely oyster gray)

AMN

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Cant wait!!

Meg McCormick said...

I don't think Ima be able to make it this time around... but y'all have fun and take LOTS of photos.

Mrs F, I'm not a fan of Oysters, really, but snot on toast? Really?? *snort*

Mental P Mama said...

It was the dinghy dock and the firemen that sold me. Polishing my boots;)

mom x 2 said...

wooo hoooo...... have to take Cheerleader Girl to Longwood on Friday, but The Salesman and I are coming on Saturday :) I'll be in touch with BHE to figure out how to meet up with everyone :)

I can't believe I'm gonna miss the Firemen *sighs*

foolery said...

All these years I've been operating under the assumption that The Powers That Be DIDN'T KNOW about what was going on behind the firehouse. Here they are advertising it. I am disillusioned.

And hungry. I need to go cook up some brussels sprouts and snot-on-toast ("snot en croƻte" if you're snotty).

Have fun at the festival guys!

Country Girl said...

Why was I not told about the parading firemen until now? Forget the damn oysters. There are firemen, damnit! I so wish I could come but I cannot take off any more work days. Damn!!

Chesapeake Bay Woman said...

maria - Thanks and hopefully we will. (If you want to joins us, we'd love it.)

Annie-I will be sure to talk to BHE et al about scheduling any trip north to when you will be in town. I'm such a fan of you and your comments, we must meet when you're here.

Daryl-Marauding firemen behind the firehouse are the best kind. Can you hitch a ride? You'd love it. The photo ops alone are worth the trip.

Dear Mrs. F with 4: Please, please start a blog if you don't already have one. Your comments are hilarious. (However, I think I could get you to like fried snot/oysters. I hated, DESPISED, oysters most of my life. There is only one way to eat them, and it's a CB Family secret. Surprisingly alcohol is not involved.) Anyway, if there is any way you can travel to Virginia next summer, we'd love to have you in our midst at the next Blog Fest. Details at 11 in December. Or January.

BHE= We get pirate school too? That's right, it's situated very close to a certain someone you know, so this has all the ingredients for a wonderful time, one which does not involve digital cameras or i-phones, I hope.

AMN- Spat the Cat, that is precious, such a good name.

NNG-Happy Birthday, we'll celebrate tomorrow night.

Meg-That's OK, Harry Connick, Jr. sends his best. He'll be (wishing he was) performing on one of the five stages. (Maybe I'll be the one wishing, but still.) We'll miss you, but if you change your mind you know where we are.

MPM-BRING ON THE BOOTS!

momx2 - We look forward to seeing you next Saturday. Safe travels to Longwood.

Foolery- This may well be the very first time it's ever been advertised (the special entertainment behind the building), and I can guarantee this is the first time snot on toast has been associated with the Oyster Festival. This is indeed a proud moment. Or it's a moment, anyway.

County Girl - If you change your mind, we'll be here. Taking pictures of the marauding firemen behind the firehouse.

Thanks to all of you for visiting and commenting. Wednesday is finally over. Bring on Thursday.

Anonymous said...

I've enjoyed reading the posts on here. I'm a camper at New Point 'Resort' for 14 years now and spent most of my childhood vacations around there. (I remember Richards Drug Store when it had the fountain and wonderful ice cold drinks). Any news on damage from 'The Storm'? The NY owners say they have no idea because they can't get in touch with anyone there. Isn't that reassuring for those who have thousands of dollars sitting on their overpriced campsite? On 13 Nov, the Sheriff's office said they had no idea either since they couldn't get down there. I've had many opportunities to purchase a home in Mathews, but because the major effects of high water down there, I just can't bring myself to do it - - no matter how much I love the county and people. Any info on storm damage will be much appreciated.

Ann Marie said...

To Anon New Point Camper... if you get this email me at amhaywood@wildblue.net.. I am headed to the campground in minutes to check on the damage.. if you have a site number let me know.
Re