Virginia Living Museum 6th Oyster Roast a Sell-Out Success

29 Nov

Virginia Living Museum 6th Oyster Roast a Sell-Out Success

By thevlm In Press Releases

Newport News, VA (November 29, 2017) – Six hundred and forty-eight guests enjoyed all-you-can-eat Chesapeake Bay oysters, fresh fried flounder, hushpuppies, fried oysters steamed shrimp, assorted desserts, and much more at the Virginia Living Museum (VLM) 6th Annual Oyster Roast on November 11, 2017. The event raised $57,817 for the Museum’s award-winning educational programs and animal care needs.

VLM Board Member Ross Mugler, casked the exclusive Oyster Stout brewed by St. George Brewing Company at the VIP Hour Preview. Oysters for the stout, fresh from the York River, were provided by Tommy Leggett of Chessie Seafood and Aquafarms.

Over 38,000 oyster shells (approximately 38 bushels and 3,000 pounds) were collected by VCU Rice Rivers Center and volunteers. The oyster shells will be aged and placed in “seeding tanks”. After seeding, the spat (baby oysters) will attach to the shells and each shell could contain 10-15 spat. This means approximately 300,000 oysters could be returned to the Chesapeake Bay.

All food at the event was made possible by Phillips Energy Inc., Waypoint Seafood and Grill, Sam Rust Seafood, Inc., Mathews Lions Club, Wild Side Café and Stratford University Culinary department. Guests were entertained with music by Louis Vangieri, Colonial DJs and Phil Poteat and the evening showcased live VLM animals throughout the festival.

The VLM Oyster Roast is an official Virginia Green event. There were eco-stations for recycling and disposable products were biodegradable and compostable. Voted Best of the 757 for Outdoor Festivals by Coastal Virginia Magazine, the VLM Oyster Roast was a sell-out.

The event was sponsored by Ferguson Cares; PNC; Women’s Executive Healthcare; Abbitt Realty; Pomoco; Northwestern Mutual/Don Brown; Phillips Energy Inc.; Jones, Blechman, Woltz, & Kelly, P.C.; Patten, Wornom, Hatten, & Diamonstein, L.C.; C.A.Barrs Construction Inc.; Allstate/Katy Jones; Empower Information Systems; Village Bank; St. George Brewing Company; Stratford University; Sam Rust Seafood, Inc.; Jeff’s Flowers of Course; Waypoint Seafood & Grill; Mathews Lions Club; Breakthru Beverage Group; and M. Price Distributing, Co.

For more information, go to the VLM website https://thevlm.org/events/museum-events/oyster-roast/ or call 757-595-1900. The Museum is located at 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, I-64, exit 258A.

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