by Erin Burneyko - Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce
Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. September 22, 2007 – Amateur and Professional oyster shuckers are wanted to compete in the North Carolina Oyster Shucking Championship, sponsored by The Sun News, at the North Carolina Oyster Festival. The championship, North Carolina’s only one of its kind, will be held on Saturday, October 20 at 4:00 p.m. in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C.
Shuckers will compete on speed and accuracy. The 1st place winner of the Professional Division will win $275 cash prize, a 1st place plaque, a N.C. Oyster Shucking Champion jacket and $200 travel cash for a trip to Leonardtown, Maryland to compete in the National Oyster Shucking Championship. The 2nd place winner will receive a $200 cash prize and 3rd place will win a $175 cash prize. Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of the Amateur Division will also be awarded. Winners will receive recognition in local newspapers and Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce publications as well.
Entry into the Oyster Shucking Championship is free. In order to register, contestants must fill out an entry form and return it to the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce. Early registration ends October 10, 2007.
The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce will host an Oyster Stew Cook-Off at the 27th Annual North Carolina Oyster Festival. The Cook-Off will be held on Sunday, October 21 at noon.
Restaurants will compete to have their stew named Best Oyster Stew. The competition will be people’s choice.
Only 300 tickets for the Cook-Off will be sold. The tickets are $5.00 and will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. at the festival grounds.
Anyone interested in entering their favorite oyster stew, only six spots are available.
The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce will 
unveil the 27th Annual North Carolina Oyster Festival artwork on September 27, 2007 at Sunset River Studio at 271 Calabash Road, Calabash, N.C. during Business After Hours from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Local artist V. Ryan (Bunny) Lauzon created the piece reminiscent of the early 1980s, harvesting local oysters and roasting them at the Ocean Isle Beach Airport hanger. The New Bridge was added to the painting to denote a sense of place.
Lauzon actually created two pieces of artwork for this year’s festival the main print will be sold as 18 X 24 inch limited edition giclee prints for $45.00 and a smaller print that will be on the official Oyster Festival t-shirts and sold as 8 X 10 inch posters for $15.00. Prints will be available for purchase at the unveiling. Lauzon will also be on hand to personalize your purchased print.
The V. Ryan (Bunny) Lauzon print is available for purchase at the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce at 4948 Main Street in Shallotte. The prints are limited edition numbered and are available only while supplies last. Prints will also be sold at the Oyster Festival on October 20 – 21.
For more information, contact the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce at 910.754.6644. Registration forms can be printed from www.brunswickcountychamber.org.
© 2007 Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce
