Single-fried oysters were the hit of the Snow Hill Oyster Roast, last year. The annual event returns this year on Sunday, Feb. 25.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Feb. 15, 2018) New twists on several classic oyster dishes will highlight the 8th annual Snow Hill Oyster Roast on Sunday, Feb. 25 from 1-5 p.m., downtown.

Tickets, which went on sale Jan.1, sold out in six days. Sponsored by the Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce, the event was limited to 450 passes.

Those lucky enough to grab tickets will be treated to all-you-can-eat Chincoteague oysters prepared seven ways: raw, single-fried, casino, Rockefeller, bacon barbecue, Malibu and roasted.

Also included is unlimited pork barbecue and, for those 21 and over, all-you-can-drink beer. The Stims will provide live music.

Event organizer Lee Chisholm, past president of the Snow Hill Chamber, said the annual oyster roast provides some exposure for the town.

“We have organized this more as a block party and it’s a great showcase for our downtown and our downtown businesses,” he said. “Also, people will need to know where to go and get your oysters, that food is not in just one location.”

He said oysters and other dishes would be available at the old firehouse and in the parking lot opposite the firehouse, and inside Harvest Moon Tavern, American Legion and Bishop’s Stock Fine Art, Craft & Wine, all of which are on West Green Street.

“The food is going to be diverse, like it always was in the past,” Chisholm said. “We don’t just have steamed oysters – that’s what I think makes our event so unique. It’s the variety of oysters that we serve, that I don’t see many any oyster roasts doing.”

Chisholm said Harvest Moon, in particular, would bring something new to the table – literally.

“They’ve been a little creative this year and they’ve come up with a few surprise recipes that I don’t even know about,” he said. “You’re going to go there and you’re going to have no idea what it is, probably, but I imagine that it’s going to taste delicious.”

He added the single-fried oysters, traditionally the big hit of the event, this year will be available both at the American Legion and at Harvest Moon.

While the event is obviously geared toward food, Chisholm said it also would highlight shops in the surrounding area, from art galleries and salons, to unique clothing, gift and antique stores.

“The chamber is here to benefit our business community. Our mission is to help our businesses in Snow Hill thrive, and what better way to help them thrive then to bring people to them, bring them downtown and let them show the general public what they can do and what they’re made of,” he said.

Additionally, he said many guests at the oyster roast make a weekend out of it, filling up local bed and breakfasts.

“This is a benefit to all of Snow Hill,” Chisholm said. “This is a chance to get people in town that typically would not come to our town. That’s really where the benefit it – it’s hard to show something they’ve never seen. The town’s got a lot to offer and we just want to show people that.”

Platinum event sponsors are First Shore Federal, Harrison Senior Living, Snow Hill Pharmacy, Taylor Bank and Davis Bowen & Friedel Inc.

The next big event sponsored by the Snow Hill Chamber of Commerce is the town fireworks display set for Saturday, June 30 at Sturgis Park.

For more information, visit www.snowhillareachamber.com.