Clamerica Thrives in `05

Bigger and better is a cliché, but true for the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association's clam festival held July Fourth for the second year in a row Two small mid-afternoon showers did not dampen the crowd's enthusiasm for clams, music and the beach at City Park. Steamed clams, clam fritters, corn on the cob and ice cream were the food attractions. Clam bag races for kids, a clam cook-off, and almost continuous music entertained the crowd between courses of clams.

Rick Viele, at the Cedar Key Aquaculture Association food booth, told Cedar Key News that the booth had served more than seventeen thousand clams. The fritter fryers at the Cedar Key High School booth were still frying as the festival wound to a close at 6:00 PM.

The winners of the clam cook-off were: First prize to Lori Schleede for a hot clam dip: Second prize went to Sue Colson for a clam pot pie that she invented the night before the festival: Third prize went to Cindi Wells for her clam strudel. The Cedar Key Aquaculture Association hopes that the festival will continue as an event that helps local charities raise funds while the association promotes clam consumption. Look for clam recipes in coming issues of Cedar Key News.