(Feb. 4, 2016) Tickets for the sixth annual Snow Hill Oyster Roast sold out more than a month ago. Those interested in attending the Feb. 28 event, however, can still enter a raffle to win tickets.
Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce Vice President Lee Chisholm has helped organize the event each year. According to Chisholm, the roast was not an immediate hit in the town.
“It’s something that had to grow into itself, and we’ve made small adjustments through the years,” he said. “Year one was, I would say, our test run. I’m surprised people actually came back. It was a rough event.”
Chisholm said long lines and inaccessible food made the roast frustrating for some during its inaugural year. Today, rather than try and cram several hundred people into the old firehouse, where the roast debuted, the event stretches between several locations.
“We decided that, really this is to showcase the restaurants. Let’s just have the restaurants serve out of their own locations,” Chisholm said. “We keep the raw bar in the old firehouse with the band, but then if you want to see what Harvest Moon has, you just leave the firehouse and you go there and have all-you-can-eat of four or five other preparations.”
This year, the roast also extends to the American Legion, who will prepare oysters casino and oysters Rockefeller. Harrison’s Senior Living will operate a tent with pulled pork sandwiches, and Snow Hill native Tommy Mason will run a tent with roasted oysters.
“It’s kind of a block party,” Chisholm said. “It’s turned into this free-flowing event where you can just walk up and down the street and visit different restaurants. It’s really meant to showcase the town, so you really get the chance to visit these businesses and see what Snow Hill is all about.
“It’s a different sort of oyster roast,” he added. “I haven’t seen any that are quite like it.”
Tickets include all-you-can eat food at all the locations, along with all-you-can drink domestic beer, water and soft drinks.
The $40 tickets sold out a month before the actual event, slated for Sunday, Feb. 28 from 1-5 p.m., but the Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce will raffle off a four pack of tickets. Raffle tickets cost $5 each and are available at the chamber, as well as Harvest Moon Tavern, Taylor Bank and the Corner Shop.
Chisholm said the roast is the “number one” fundraising event for the chamber.
“It funds our chamber for the year, so [proceeds] go toward the development of the Snow Hill business community,” he said. “It’s staffing events, promoting the town, promoting business, creating flyers, advertising – basically it’s community support, but it’s focused more on the business community than anything else.”
For the town itself, Chisholm said the biggest push in Snow Hill right now is simply getting new people to come and look around. Economic Development Director Michael Day agreed.
“It’s really important to get people into town,” Day said. “Events can be real economic drivers.”
Day said other major upcoming events in Snow Hill include stand-up paddle board races June 18-19, a motorcycle rally in Sturgis Park in September and a traditional Oktoberfest event in the fall.
For more information, visit www.snowhillareachamber.com.
Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce Vice President Lee Chisholm has helped organize the event each year. According to Chisholm, the roast was not an immediate hit in the town.
“It’s something that had to grow into itself, and we’ve made small adjustments through the years,” he said. “Year one was, I would say, our test run. I’m surprised people actually came back. It was a rough event.”
Chisholm said long lines and inaccessible food made the roast frustrating for some during its inaugural year. Today, rather than try and cram several hundred people into the old firehouse, where the roast debuted, the event stretches between several locations.
“We decided that, really this is to showcase the restaurants. Let’s just have the restaurants serve out of their own locations,” Chisholm said. “We keep the raw bar in the old firehouse with the band, but then if you want to see what Harvest Moon has, you just leave the firehouse and you go there and have all-you-can-eat of four or five other preparations.”
This year, the roast also extends to the American Legion, who will prepare oysters casino and oysters Rockefeller. Harrison’s Senior Living will operate a tent with pulled pork sandwiches, and Snow Hill native Tommy Mason will run a tent with roasted oysters.
“It’s kind of a block party,” Chisholm said. “It’s turned into this free-flowing event where you can just walk up and down the street and visit different restaurants. It’s really meant to showcase the town, so you really get the chance to visit these businesses and see what Snow Hill is all about.
“It’s a different sort of oyster roast,” he added. “I haven’t seen any that are quite like it.”
Tickets include all-you-can eat food at all the locations, along with all-you-can drink domestic beer, water and soft drinks.
The $40 tickets sold out a month before the actual event, slated for Sunday, Feb. 28 from 1-5 p.m., but the Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce will raffle off a four pack of tickets. Raffle tickets cost $5 each and are available at the chamber, as well as Harvest Moon Tavern, Taylor Bank and the Corner Shop.
Chisholm said the roast is the “number one” fundraising event for the chamber.
“It funds our chamber for the year, so [proceeds] go toward the development of the Snow Hill business community,” he said. “It’s staffing events, promoting the town, promoting business, creating flyers, advertising – basically it’s community support, but it’s focused more on the business community than anything else.”
For the town itself, Chisholm said the biggest push in Snow Hill right now is simply getting new people to come and look around. Economic Development Director Michael Day agreed.
“It’s really important to get people into town,” Day said. “Events can be real economic drivers.”
Day said other major upcoming events in Snow Hill include stand-up paddle board races June 18-19, a motorcycle rally in Sturgis Park in September and a traditional Oktoberfest event in the fall.
For more information, visit www.snowhillareachamber.com.