Oyster Festival Now Full-Steam Ahead Thanks To Local Sponsors

OYSTER BAY, NY — After a funding crisis threw the annual Oyster Festival into turmoil, multiple local businesses and groups have pledged to help save the decades-old event.

Joseph Saladino, the town supervisor, pleaded with local businesses to step up and help after major sponsors withdrew pledges.

Altice USA slashed its sponsorship from $20,000 to $10,000 and Newsday reported that a second sponsor didn't return this year. The shortage prompted Saladino to promise kicking in $20,000 in-kind services — meaning no taxpayer money — to the nonprofit Oyster Bay Charitable Fund, which organizes the event.

After hearing the event was at-risk, three corporations contacted the festival committee to help fill the gap, the town said in a news release. Blumenfeld Development Group, or, BDG, Stop & Shop and Ferrari-Maserati Long Island each pledged $5,000 to the event.

When asked if BDG could help keep open the Oyster Festival, Ed Blumenfeld, president of BDG, replied: "'Shucks, of course we can."

"'What would it cost us? A couple of clams? It certainly wouldn't be out of our depth,'" Blumenfeld said in a news release. "Seriously, this event celebrates our heritage, good times and the shared experience of living on Long Island. Companies that have enjoyed success on the island have a responsibility to give back to our community."

Bob Yager, senior vice president of sales and operations at Stop & Shop, said his company was proud to step in.

"Knowing that the Oyster Festival is such a beloved event not just for local residents — but for visitors from around the world — Stop & Shop was proud to step in to ensure that this Long Island tradition lives on," said Yager. "We're excited to support this year's celebration of great food, family, and community."

And Stuart Hayim, owner and principal at Ferrari- Maserati Long Island in Plainview, praised the festival for becoming a Long Island tradition.

said the Oyster Festival is as much a Long Island tradition as the Jones beach boardwalk, pumpkin picking and sledding down the hill at Bethpage.

"The Oyster Festival has become as much a Long Island tradition as the Jones beach boardwalk, pumpkin picking and sledding down the hill at Bethpage," he said. "We, and those Long Island companies that recognize the importance of supporting this tradition, welcome the opportunity to ensure this Festival continues to welcome local families and visitors from around the world."

Laura Curran, the Nassau County Executive, informed town officials that she requested funding from the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency to also help save the festival. The town agreed to provide $20,000 in-kind services.

Richard Kessel, chairman of the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, told Patch on Monday the county executive reached out to him over the weekend to see if the group could help. Kessel said his group will do whatever it takes to make sure the festival goes on.

"Our job is to promote economic development and downtown revitalization," he said in a phone interview. "The Oyster Festival is such a huge festival and has such positive impact on the county and the Town and village of Oyster Bay."

The agency's board must authorize the sponsorship, he said, but they appear to support the move. That vote is scheduled for Sept. 19. Kessel noted that they do not yet know how much they'll be asked to pledge to the festival, but said it would be a "substantial contribution."

Saladino called the festival an annual tradition and said the town could not allow it to get canceled.

"The Oyster Festival not only allows us to showcase our beautiful Town and all it has to offer, it is a major fundraising event which benefits non-profit organizations in the community, he said. "

A spokeswoman for Altice USA told Patch in a statement Monday that its monetary contribution remains significant, and that it's offering more than just funding.

"In addition to the significant $10,000 donation that Altice is providing to the festival, our News 12 Networks will be covering the festival on air, and we are also providing free advertising to the festival," the company said.

As for festival organizers, plans are for the festival to proceed as scheduled, a spokeswoman told Patch in an email Monday.

"The weekend brought some support from Blumenfeld, Stop & Shop and Ferrari/Maserati," the festival said. "Nassau IDA has offered to help with any shortfalls and has the vote out to the board."

The agency will become a sponsor if the board signs off, the festival said. It wasn't immediately known when the board would vote.

The annual event, now in its 36th year, dubs itself the largest waterfront festival on the East Coast with more than 150,000 attendees. Last week, organizers were forced to dispel rumors that the event, scheduled for Oct. 19-20, was canceled due to the loss of a major sponsor. They wrote in a Facebook post that the festival committee planned to meet in hopes of saving the event.

On Saturday, organizers wrote in a Facebook post they received their first private donation from former Oyster Bay state Sen. Carl Marcellino and Dr. Patricia Marcellino, a professor at Adelphi University in Garden City.

"Many thanks for your contribution," organizers said.

The festival is put on by the Oyster Bay Rotary Club and funded by the Oyster Bay Charitable Fund. Each year, attendees are treated to activities, live entertainment, ships, talented artisans, pirate shows, midway rides and, of course, a popular oyster eating and shucking contest. There's also a food court where volunteer chefs and culinary experts cook and serve unique oyster, clam and other seafood offerings.

Proceeds from the food court sales benefit more than two dozen local charity groups, the organization wrote on its website. Proceeds from carnival rides and merchandise sales are also donated to additional charities supported by the rotary club.

While admission is free, some activities in the festival are not.