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Georgetown Oyster Eat celebrates 75 years • VIDEO

Nick Roth and Dennis Forney
March 1, 2012
John Kemp enjoyed the 75th annual Oyster Eat Feb. 24 at the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company. BY NICK ROTH
A packed house of mostly men enjoyed beer, oysters and some occasional dancing as Dean Sapp and the Harford Express played all night at the 75th annual Oyster Eat. BY NICK ROTH
16 Mile Brewing Company Operations Manager Mike Pfaffenhauser wades through the crowd with a keg of Responders Ale strapped to his back. BY NICK ROTH
16 Mile Brewing Company co-owner Chad Campbell, left, and Director of Sales and Marketing Claus Hagelman pour cups of Responders Ale and Delaware Oyster Stout. BY NICK ROTH
A special 75th anniversary oyster shucking knife sold for $3,900 at the Oyster Eat. Event Chair Michael Briggs, left, displays the knife as auctioneer Dave Wilson works the crowd. BY NICK ROTH
George Moore, right, takes his turn at the oyster-shucking table. BY NICK ROTH
Adam Telsey cuts open an oyster toward the end of the night. BY NICK ROTH
There wasn't much room to move around in the Georgetown Fire Hall. BY NICK ROTH
Georgetown fireman Brad Harmon hoists a basket of "hot stuff" in the air - freshly steamed oysters headed for waiting shuckers. BY DENNIS FORNEY
What's an oyster eat without a set of spoons played on the shoulders of a flannel-shirted dancer? BY DENNIS FORNEY
Oyster Eat attendees have to run the gauntlet of 50/50 ticket sellers. This group includes (l-r) Kevin Ford and Jim Elliott of Millsboro, Sussex Councilman Sam Wilson and Dick Cecil of Lewes. BY DENNIS FORNEY

The music spread loud and far and the air smelled of cigars and oysters as the Georgetown Volunteer Fire Company hosted the 75th annual Oyster Eat Feb. 24. The event is held each year on the last Friday in February as a fundraiser for the fire department.

This year's event brought out an elbow-to-elbow and shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of mostly men eager to eat raw and steamed oysters, ham and egg salad sandwiches all washed down with lots of 16-mile Responders' Ale and Coors Light.  According to Jean Stevenson of Georgetown Fire Department, the official count at 11:30 p.m. - half an hour before the oyster eat turned back into a fire hall - was 986.  Record years have brought out in excess of 1,100 but this year's number ranks up their with the top five in attendance.

Ricky Green and his son, Neal, teamed up this year to craft a pair of oyster knives in a special commemorative 75th Annual Georgetown Oyster Eat box for live auction. Allan Baker signaled the winning bid of $3,900 and Auctioneer Dave Wilson shouted "sold your way!" Baker has purchased several of the knives over the years.  "A lot of my friends are firemen in Georgetown and I'm here to support them," said Baker.

A commemorative walking stick brought a high bid of $600 and a 16-Mile Fireman's Ax brought $300.

When all is said and done, the event will have again raised $30,000 or more to help fund the fire department's annual operations.

 

 

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