Just as the Oyster Festival non-profits have a regular date on the weekend after Columbus Day, so too do the plucky, brave group of people (mostly men but with a woman now and then) who come to test their ability to open oysters and to eat them. This year's top winners were repeating their victories.

The first contest, the Oyster Shucking Contest had David Mahnken of Long Beach coming at the top of the list with 34 oysters shucked. Hicksville Michael Chodkowski of Hicksville kept his title for the fifth year as top oyster eater with a whopping 156 oysters eaten/chugged.

It's the Oyster Shucking Contest that gets the audience warmed up for the Oyster Eating Contest. Emcee MC Bob Buchmann, Q104's "Morning Man" told the crowd that Supreme Court Justice Bob Schmitt was the official time keeper. Honorary Judge Steve Labriola, town clerk and Councilwoman Mary McCaffrey were on hand too.

MC Buchman said, "This gets better and better each year. Normally we have to scramble to get enough shuckers on the stage. This year we did great, thanks to Mary Ann Bentley who does the signing up." He looked out at the crowd and appreciated its size. "It's a beautiful day. I'm so glad they moved the stage here, to West End Avenue, out of the mud. I hope they keep it here. We get a great view. I think no one wanted to walk across the great lawn to the other site."

A contingent of Democrats walked over to the stage and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi climbed up onto the stage and said the Oyster Festival is a great thing for Oyster Bay and Long Island, as Dave Relyea was counting the oysters shucked. They have to be in good condition, ready to be served and severed from the shell. Lelis Bonilla came in second place with 32 shucked. David Mahnken of Long Beach came in first with 34 shucked. He said he doesn't practice, that it is all about his technique.

It was time for the Oyster Eating Contest. The table was prepared with trays of pre-shucked oysters, 36 in each and red plastic cups of oysters with a dozen in each. There was energy on the stage. Everyone was pumped up for the big moment. MC Buchman introduced the contestants and the eating began.

This year there was one woman contestant. Susie Kullawattana of Brooklyn. She said afterwards, "I didn't know what to do this time." One of the watchers said, "She ate 72 oysters and beat half the men."

This year a newcomer, Michael Fisher of Elmhurst, a student at St. John's University studying sports management, bent down to his first tray of 36 oysters and using a two-handed system of bringing them to his mouth was just beginning to stand, holding the tray in one hand, and feeding himself each morsel piece by piece, when the winner, Mr. Chodkowski had already gulped/chewed his way through the first 36 and was reaching for his first red plastic cup of 12.

The Hicksville champ was on his way to winning with most of the other contestants, still at the starting gate. Afterwards, Mr. Fisher said "It was good, but I ate before the contest and probably shouldn't have. I'll definitely be back next year."

All during the contest, sitting in front of Mr. Chodkowski was Lisa Stapleton, who was watching his progress and handing him new cups, to be sure he cleaned each one out and to be sure he didn't run dry. "He ate 156 oysters, that is 13 dozen," she said adding, "It's my birthday today."

David Israel of Glen Cove came in second again this year with 103 and tied with John McDonald who also finished 103.

All of Oyster Bay Harbor and the southern Cold Spring Harbor were closed to shellfishing by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Oct. 12, because of the extraordinary rainfall that occurred overnight on Oct. 11 into Oct. 12. The designation was effective immediately and was to remain in effect through Oct. 19. Dave Relyea said, "This year we weren't able to supply the oysters for the Oyster Festival. There was not as much rain in Delaware Bay and they shipped them up for us."

This is the second time Frank M. Flower oysters were not featured at the festival. The last time there was a problem, the oysters came from Connecticut. "We were lucky to get them at the last minute, this year. There is a shortage of oysters because 40 percent of the oysters consumed come from the Gulf," said Mr. Relyea. Because of the hurricanes, they weren't available.

It's the little glitches that make each Oyster Festival different from the rest.

Another difference this year was the number of entrants for the oyster eating contest. Ken Bently, one of the contestants, said that this year Mary Ann Bentley had no trouble signing up eaters. "Usually she had to wrestle up the number needed. This year there was an overflow." The Bentleys have been with the contest from its beginnings. It's all about tradition.

Saturday, Oct. 15 was a perfect day at the Oyster Festival. It drizzled early both mornings. Sunday, Oct. 16 was a little windy, but Mr. Relyea said if it came across the bay it would have been rough. "We were in the lee of Mill Neck so that broke some of the wind. None of the tents was upset from what I know."

He also liked the new set up in the food court. There were three aisles and people were able to stroll up and down picking their favorite food venues. "If that many people were in town, I think it would have been a little tight," he said. It looked as if everyone on Long Island had cabin fever and were really happy to be outdoors at the festival.

Tom Reardon, Oyster Festival co-chair said that John Specce won the raffle. Mr. Specce is a former Oyster Bay-East Norwich board of education president and is on the boards of the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of Locomotive 35.

Mr. Reardon said of Festival 2005, "It's got to be one of the best. We've been through so many [this was number 22] who knows which is best. But, this was one of the best."

The Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce worked to organize a car show and antiques show on the hamlet streets. It too was a great success.

More about the festival next week.

David Mahnken of Long Beach	34
Lelis Bonillo of El Salvador	30
Ralph Alarcon of Oyster Bay	29
Hank Tiska of Syosset	23
Darryl Dowers of Syosset	20
David Smith of Smithtown	18
Jose Romero of Honduras	17
Michael Callahan of Glen Cove	16
Jose Salas of Mexico	16
Ken Bentley of Oyster Bay	15
Jose Sanchez of W. Islip	11

Michael Chodkowski of Hicksville	156
David Israel of Glen Cove	103
John McDonald of Oyster Bay	103
Earl Webb of Kings Point	39
Donald T. Heffern of Kings Point	36
Glenn Contreras of Oyster Bay	52
Susie Kullawattana of Flushing	72
Robert Calcaterra of Brooklyn	25
Robert Gruenfelder of Massapequa	40
Lou Guerriere of Bethpage	72
Fred C. Thomson of Broad Channel	33
Michael Fisher of Elmhurst	17