Rob Crafa's message on the Oyster Festival phone line tells the story of the success of this year's Oyster Festival. He says "Thanks to everyone including the 200,000 visitors and the 200 arts and crafts vendors, the sponsors, tall ships, great volunteers, and the entire community for supporting the Oyster Bay Oyster Festival. We look forward to seeing you Oct. 18 and 19, 2003, for the Oyster Festival's 20th anniversary." FULL STORY

The VIP Kickoff Reception for sponsors of Oyster Festival 2002 took place at the Jakobson Pier. It was originally planned to be a cruise aboard the paddle wheeler Martha Jefferson, but she was pulled out at the last minute. The festival committee responded in a snap: they set up the VIP tent on the pier, between the tall ships HMS Bounty and the Kalmar Nyckel. FULL STORY

The Women's Sports Foundation has named Valerie Halesworth, a field hockey, girls' basketball and junior varsity softball coach at Oyster Bay High School, a finalist in the team sport category for the 2002 Sportswoman of the Year Award. FULL STORY

The Kalmar Nyckel arrived in Oyster Bay the evening of Thursday, Oct. 17. It came in during the VIP kickoff reception for sponsors and stayed the weekend. It was open for visitors on Saturday and Sunday when crew members in costume lectured to festival visitors aboard ship. FULL STORY