It’s time to get cracking. No not with eggs, but with crustaceans. Lobsterfest is back, the 30th year for the event organized by the Kiwanis Club of Elmira.
The club has been fine-tuning their culinary skills for three decades and boasts they have the best tasting lobster festival in the region.
“When people keep coming back for 30 years, you know you’re doing something right,” said Tom Hendrick, committee chair and founder of the event.
When it comes to preparing the meal, you have to start with a big, fresh lobster, he explained.
“Timing is everything. After cooking over 20,000 lobsters over the years, we have it down to a science.”
On the day of the event, one-and-a-half-pound Shediac lobsters are flown in fresh and steamed by the club’s team of chefs.
“We have around 600-700 people show up to the event every year,” said the club’s Tony Dowling. “It is a very popular event, and we always get great reviews.”
Live music during dinner by Downey’s Music will be followed up by a DJ and dancing.
The event also features draws for several big sports prizes, including tickets to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors and Blue Jays as well as weekend getaway packages to Collingwood and Blue Mountain, and a hot air balloon ride.
“This is the second time we are holding the high ticket prizes event,” said Dowling. “For each prize we have 100 tickets which will be sold for five dollars each. It is quite a scramble for the tickets but a lot of fun. We usually sell out of each prize in 30 seconds.”
Money raised at the event will go to help local community projects, including the Kiwanis Music Festival, Kiwanis Santa Claus parade, Meals on Wheels and the Woolwich Memorial Centre.
For those unable to eat lobster, the club will have prime rib available as well as salads, potato, a “secret-recipe” baked beans and dessert.
This year’s event will take place May 28. Tickets are $49 per person for the 7 p.m. seating.
There is also an earlybird seating at 5 p.m. with no dance for $39. Tickets are available through club members.
