The 25th Oyster Festival committee sent out invitations to the public to come, have a day in the sun, eat to benefit non-profit groups, surrounded by music and everyone came. It was wall to wall people, under a blue sky with perfect weather. You couldn't ask for a better day, a better time, or a better place to be. And once again, at the heart of the festival was the Annual Oyster Shucking and Eating Contests, held at 2 p.m. on Saturday of the festival.

They come from all over, attracted to the challenge of shucking and eating oysters. This year Shawn Leonard of Cold Spring Harbor came to put his family name back on the roster of the Oyster Eating Contest. In 1998 David Leonard of Central Islip set the record with 480 oysters chugged in two minutes and five seconds. Granted the oysters were small that year but still - 480. Shawn only had to chug 180 to walk away with this year's title. It was snatched out of the hands of Michael Chodkowski of Hicksville who has held the title since 1999. Over the years you can get an inkling of how the oyster's size has varied. In 1999, he consumed 252, in 2000 he chugged 191, then 120, 132, 168, 54, 156, 144 and last year, 111. Just in time from things getting boring, Mr. Leonard showed up to break the chain. Now the question is - what about next year?

"We have a new champion, after nine years," said Betty Tiska. "I told Mike it's because he cut his hair."

Donna Kaye of Brooklyn is the only woman to win the oyster eating contest: twice in 1996 and 1997. Marc Fried of Huntington won in 1988 with 200 eaten; and in 1991, with 132 eaten. On the stage the next year, the look on his face, mid-contest, said he had eaten his last oyster as he walked away from the competition table. He has returned to watch but hasn't competed again.

This year, third place in the chugging contest went to Henry Lam of Flushing, who ate 95 oysters. He also shucked 21 oysters earlier in the day. He is becoming a regular at the event.

Alan Feldman of Cedarhurst ate 72 oysters.

Hector Rosado of Staten Island ate 72 oysters.

Ansel Cranom of Bay Shore ate 51 oysters.

Sok Ung of NYC ate 48 oysters.

Phi Tran of Brooklyn ate 45 oysters.

John Guiliano of Syosset ate 43 oysters.

Mia Niemiec of NYC ate 43 oysters.

Fred C. Thompson of Queens ate 25 oysters.

Michael Tursi of NYC ate 25 oysters.

Waiting on the sidelines in case someone dropped out of the first list were George Corly of Centereach and Ralph Ry Bak of Brooklyn.

The Oyster Shucking champion Dave Menahan of Long Beach retained his title for the ninth time, with 36 oysters shucked. He is methodical, relaxed and patient, as he makes his way through the bivalves.

In second place again this year was Ralph Alarcon of Bayville with 32 oysters opened. Note that the oysters are opened, cut away from the shell, and left whole ready to be presented at the table. Sometimes removing them from the shell shreds the oyster - not making for one that could be served to a customer and therefore not counting as a winning number.

In third place this year was Daniel Rybak of Brooklyn who opened 22 oysters.

Henry Lam of Flushing opened 21 oysters. He went on to eat 95 oysters.

Louis Tuccillo of Woodbury opened 20 oysters.

David Smith of Smithtown opened 19 oysters.

Hank Tiska of Syosset opened 18 oysters.

Nick Castle of Cold Spring Hills, NY, opened 18 oysters.

Adam Montoya of Oyster Bay opened 15 oysters.

Mik Callahan of Glen Cove opened 13 oysters.

As the festival ended on Sunday, at about 5:30 p.m. the winner of the raffle was announced from the showmobile at the Food Court. The showmobile hosted musical acts both days and kept the air alive with sound.

The winner was Leandro Vanregas of Oyster Bay. Debra Goyena, raffle chair, called to tell him he won. "He said he was going to pay off his mortgage. Isn't that wonderful and heartwarming. He works two jobs as a cook: at Bridget's Luncheonette in Bayville in the mornings and at the Shipwreck Tavern in the evenings. He has four children and one on the way. He was just lovely to talk to. I was on the phone for 15 minutes, I'm just so happy for him. Really!" said Ms. Goyena.

The Oyster Festival weekend was a great time to meet people.

Hal Johnson and Fran Leone were on the Western Waterfront. She said, "The apple pie and ice cream is delicious. [It is served at the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Soccer Club to help defray costs of running their programs and clinics.] I met a childhood friend, Billy Long, whose son Graham Long is running for Congress against Congressman Pete King. Billy Long and I grew up together," she said.

Hal was wearing a red T-shirt from the 2008 Olympics in China. He was in China doing auditing. He said, "I'm leveling the playing field (in trade between us and China) by making them put in quality checking systems which will protect products coming here: safe cosmetics through good manufacturing procedures," he said.

Fran was wearing a red fine woolen scarf he brought back from Italy.

After visiting the camel rides, petting zoo and watching the leaping dogs, there was Les Marbles walking around the Oyster Festival sporting his white flowing beard, a red jacket and a grey African parrot on his shoulder. Pearl is about 7 years old and is a sweetheart who gives kisses. She allowed her soft neck feathers to be petted.

Oyster Bay Cove Trustee George Sheehan, treasurer of the Youth and Counseling Agency of OB-EN and his wife Eileen, a Doubleday Babcock board member, were sitting at a picnic table outside of the Nassau County Police Emergency Response trailer. They were waiting for their son Brian, his wife Tanya and grandson William.

Eileen said she almost bumped into Billy Joel Saturday morning. "He must have come to the festival early. He was just enjoying himself watching the dogs leaping into the water. When the act was over he headed over to the boats," she said.

The Sheehans had seen the new lines set up with stanchions and rope, outside the Oyster Bay Chamber of Commerce raw oyster booth, and at the Mill River Rod and Gun Club. Mr. Sheehan said, "It's like the Disney parks, you keep shuffling along saying, 'I'm moving, I'm moving.' I got on line for the oysters and it kept on moving. It's like Disney except there, they get you inside the door and there's another line - here at least you can see the finish line."

"I can't believe how crowded it is," said Lynne Karppi-Chute as she and Bob Chute arrived by train. "The trains were jammed. They were more crowded than I ever saw before waiting to get on at Locust Valley," said Walter Karppi, who has been taking the train to the festival for the past five years. "The train was filled in Mineola," said Mr. Chute.

Mr. Sheehan said, "The festival was in the Times and Newsday." "I saw it on Channel 4," added Mrs. Sheehan.

"They do a good job cleaning up the trash," said Ms. Sheehan. The festival grounds were very neat. They sky was a lovely blue. The sun was warm. Mr. Sheehan, a dentist, said one of his staff comes to the festival and parks at the Vernon School. "She said it's very easy and the shuttle buses run often."

The Chutes came back from the Food Court with lobster rolls and gumbo from the Youth & Family counseling booth. "I thank you on behalf of YFCA," said Mr. Sheehan, "I'm their treasurer."

Ms. Sheehan said last year she helped stir the clam chowder at the DBSC booth all Sunday. "On Monday I was sore. You don't realize it while your doing it," she said.

Lion's Club members Jerry Mavros and Peter Golon were walking by. "The weather is great, the crowd is great and you can't beat that. There was a lot of advertising for the festival this year. The New York Times came down and did an article about the Lions working at Doubleday Babcock Senior Center making the oyster stew. It was in The Times last week," he said. The article showed Mr. Mavros, 78, shucking clams for the DBSC clam fritters from clams donated by Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc. Mr. Mavros was the chef at The Oyster Bay Restaurant on Audrey Avenue for years so he has lots of experience. He was the cook for the St. Rocco's Festival for many years. He shares his talents even in retirement.

It should be mentioned that Frank M. Flower & Sons, Inc., also had a quilt raffle to benefit the Youth & Family Counseling Agency of OB-EN, and sold T-shirts to benefit the Celia Flower Food Pantry.

All that can be said is - what a great community!