Everywhere you went there were rave reviews for Oyster Festival 2001. Expanding the event into the Theodore Roosevelt Park and the Jakobson Pier at the Western Waterfront gave visitors a great view of the best of Oyster Bay and spread out the visitors all over the area making the street traffic more pleasant.

People were also happy that there was no drinking allowed on the streets.

Nassau County Deputy Inspector Steven Williams, a member of Rotary of Oyster Bay, said, "A couple of people have already stopped me and said, 'What a nice festival.'"

The Oyster Eating and Shucking Contests drew in a great crowd of people. The Oyster Eating Contest was won, for the third time in a row, by Mike Chodkowski of Hicksville. He ate 120 oysters. Last year he ate 191 and the year before 260 and the year before that 312. That year, 1998, people said the oysters were smaller than usual.

The Oyster Shucking Contest was won by David Mahnken of Long Beach with 35 shucked.

Interestingly, the contest was scheduled for 3 p.m., but the crowd wasn't forming. People streamed into the park but disappeared to other areas. "About 10 to 3 I was panicking," said Dave Relyea. "I called them and said to announce the contest. They must have gotten out the word because they kept coming and coming.

"It was the largest crowd ever, that I've seen watching the event. I think it helped being in the park.

"It was a very good contest. We were fully subscribed, there are years we have had four or five shuckers. There were people waiting to get into the Oyster Eating Contest," said Mr. Relyea, contest judge.

They put speakers in the trees so everyone could hear Bob Buchmann's banter as he announced the contestants.

Lining up to get on stage for the Oyster Shucking Contest were a "few good men" and women.

David Mahnken of Long Beach was here for the second time. "I've shucked for 29 years. I work at the East Point Inn in East Rockaway," he said. Mr. Mahnken said he had been in the contest before. Abe Heller of the Bronx, was also a returnee, "Years ago," he said.

Dan Ferrier of Huntington came in second -from the last - in Oyster Festival 2000. He was here giving it another try. His left arm is tattooed with three Chinese characters that mean: fighting spirit and "To live for today."

"I'm a clammer and a North Shore Bayman," he said. He moved up two places to fourth this year.

By now Bob Buchman of radio station Q-104.3 was announcing that Rodney Dowe of Mill Neck with 57 oysters shucked, in 1985, was the one to beat. "It was exciting," said Mr. Buchman. There was a tie between Andy Schuller and Rodney Dowe. They had a shuck-off and Rodney shucked 22 in the alotted time and won.

"Last year the winner shucked 28 oysters," he said.

The contestants were given Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc. aprons, knives, gloves and caps. Bob reminded the audience that the oysters have to be "off the shell and not mutilated" to count. "Dave Relyea is a very critical judge," he said. There are contest rules to keep when setting a record of the number shucked in four minutes.

The winner was David Mahnken - with 35 shucked.

1- David Mahnken of Long Beach came in first with 35 shucked.

2- Phil Iavarone of Island Park shucked 30.

3- Michael Minicozzi of Oyster Bay - 27

4- Abe Heller of Forest Hills, NY with 25

5- Rob Chiappone of East Meadow shucked 24. He won in 2000 with 31 shucked.

6- Ralph Alascon of Oyster Bay - 24

7- Dan Ferreier of Huntington - 16

8- Bryan Cowan of Patchogue - 14

9- Diana Morris of Islip Terrace - 11

10- Elsie Soto of Patchogue - 8

Dave Relyea looked at the results of the Oyster Eating Contest and said, "They were pretty consistent with the size of the oysters. They were big this year. If they (the contestants) get lucky and the oysters are small, then they can set a record.

The record setting winner of the Oyster Eating Contest was David Leonard of Central Islip in 1998, won with 480 eaten. (He wouldn't have eaten 480 of these oysters," said Dave Relyea.) "He wanted more," said Bob Buchmann. The contestants that year, in 1998, ate Frank M. Flower out of oysters. All the contestants were eating fast and there were no more left with the contest clock stopped at 2:05 seconds instead of 2:40 seconds!

"Instead of saying he was going to Disney - he said 'I'm going to buy some oysters!'" said Mr. Buchmann. He said "Winning wasn't a matter of eating oysters, it was a matter of drinking them."

Mr. Chodkowski was confident he had won, as the oysters were being counted. He is tall and slim and was relaxed and didn't appear stuffed.

On the other hand, the second place winner Matt Dellasperanza made some "opps" faces mimicking throwing up, as he clowned around with his supporters standing in the photographers' pit in front of the stands.

Things were a little wilder than in previous contests.

"He's not a regular oyster eater, but he can chug beer real fast," said supporter Diane Morris, who took part in the Oyster Shucking Contest.

"Matthew wants more oysters," announced Bob.

"I'll eat more brother: I'll eat them all," said Mike, standing in the middle of the stage, relaxed and assured that he was again the winner.

Then the results were announced and he bounced to the front to shake hands with honorary judge Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto.

1- Mike Chodkowski of Hickville ate 120.

2- Matthew Dellasperanza of Massapequa ate 88.

3- Josh Warren of Manhattan ate 84.

4- Cindy Zoller of New Jersey ate 77. She came in third in 2000 with 84.

5- Steve Berg of Northport ate 70.

6- Oyster Bay High School student Glen Contreras of Oyster Bay ate 59.

7- Scott Micullough of Glen Cove ate 48.

8- Charles Armstrong of Bayville ate 46.

9- Oyster Bay High School student P.J. Pinello of Oyster Bay Cove ate 42.

10- Ronald Harrington of Lake Grove ate 41.

11- Patricia Chen of Riveredge, New Jersey ate 38.

12- Chris Tausch of Locust Valley ate 24.

At 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 14 the winning car raffle ticket was picked by NY Islander Bobby Nystrom. "What happens if I pick my ticket," he said. "Roll up your sleeves," said someone.

He did. They brought up the ticket tumbler (borrowed from St. Dominic's) to the Derby-Hall Bandstand and he picked out the winner.

The Car Raffle was won by T. and J. Clary of Hicksville. Donna Goyena Lee said, "I'm glad she won. When the Oyster Festival was cancelled, she wrote a poem about how sad she was because she wanted to go to it. When Oyster Fest 2001 was reorganized, she wrote another poem about it.

"They're great they go to every festival. They were at the Apple Festival at Mill Neck."

Donna's sister Debra Goyena was the Car Raffle chair.

The NYPD Mounted Police were standing at the foot of Audrey Avenue waiting to begin their sweep of the festival area. The town sanitation workers were picking up garbage and swinging items into the backs of the trucks. They were like acrobats dipping, bending, turning and clearing the streets of whatevery debris was left: fast! Everyone agreed it was the cleanest festival they had seen.

Co-chair George Meyer couldn't say enough about the Town of Oyster Bay workers or the police.

Standing at the bandstand, Deputy Inspector Steve Williams said "What I love most is the street empty from the front of Railz Bar to the LIRR station. That's music to my ears," he said.

Jim Cammarata said, "We told you alcohol could be curbed and it was and we had a great festival."

"We changed a lot of attitudes in this town," said Deputy Inspector Williams. They intervened in a few cases and closed down areas where alcohol was being sold outside, and not in accordance with the Open Container Law.

Mr. Cammarata said the Town of Oyster Bay and the police really made a difference. They cooperated with the community and it was a great example of what can be done. He said, "Len Rothberg, the man who signed up the sponsors, said this is the cleanest festival he's seen.

"It's been great, absolutely great!"

More coverage of the festival will be in next week's Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot.