Rotary Crab Feed returns to Los Banos Fairgrounds April 1

The Los Banos Rotary Crab Feed is back. After a two-year absence, the popular event returns April 1 (no fooling), and local Rotarians are now selling tickets.

“Like so many people today, our club is eager to return to in-person events that people have enjoyed for years,” said Sharon Silva, this year’s Los Banos Rotary Club president. Two years ago the event was cancelled at the last minute due to COVID, with all ticket money refunded. Last year no crab feed was even planned.

Tickets for the Friday evening event at the Los Banos Fairgrounds Exhibit Building are available from any Rotarian--for a meal which includes fresh Dungeness cracked crab (and lots of it), pasta, salad, bread, wine and dessert. The event also includes a raffle and live auction, with Merced County District 5 Supervisor Scott Silveira serving as auctioneer.

The crab feed is the main fundraiser for the Los Banos Rotary Club, which uses the proceeds from this event to fund scholarships for both Los Banos and Pacheco High School seniors, as well as supporting local Boy Scout Troop 85, the “Feed the Need” program for local elementary school students and many other community projects and activities.

“We really had to stretch to fund the scholarships last year,” said club treasurer Mike Larson, “after having two years without crab feeds. We hope there’s a great turnout this year to help us meet these local needs.”

The crab feed has a large group of loyal customers, people who look forward each year to the event, not only for good food but for a good time.

Tickets for this year’s event are $75. Rotarians had to reluctantly raise the cost of the tickets because of the increased cost of crab. Rotarian Tony Whitehurst, who has secured the freshest and tastiest crab available for each Rotary crab feed, noted, “All persons coming to the event will get their money’s worth, with lots of crab, great side dishes and wine on the tables. And they’ll be helping a good cause.”

This year, for the first time, tickets are available online. Anyone with a credit card can go to the link los-banos-rotary.square.site and buy as many tickets as they’d like. It’s as simple as clicking “Purchase tickets,” choosing the number of tickets, then clicking “Attend.” The website provides the next steps.

Persons who buy their tickets online can pick them up at the Fairgrounds site the day of the event. Credit cards can also be used to purchase raffle tickets and auction items.

Anyone who would rather use the traditional approach for buying tickets can contact any Rotarian or call Gene Lieb, the ticket chairperson for the event, at (209) 704-3831.

Seating is limited and the event has sold out in the past, so persons interested in indulging in crab are encouraged to get their tickets soon. Rotarians would like all tickets purchased by March 15, so they can order the right amount of crab.

As in past years there will be both a raffle and live auction featuring items donated by local businesses and individuals. This year’s auction committee chairpersons, Shelley and Joe May, said, “This could be our best auction yet. We have already received some very desirable items, including several acquired by Rotarian Mike Gill.”

Helping with the auction and ensuring good communication during the event is the Rotary club’s president-elect, Paul Llanez, who will provide the P.A. equipment and be the announcer.

As in all previous crab feeds, Rotarians who serve the food will ensure that people attending have fun and enjoy the experience. Several of this year’s ten new Los Banos Rotarians will be helping to serve, including Dr. Walker Wynkoop, Grace Feng and Mike Neu.

Once again Brian Rocha, the club’s Interact liaison with the local high schools, will have high school students helping Rotarians serve. “These Interact members,” Rocha said, “add energy, enthusiasm and efficiency to the serving crew.”

For several other new Rotarians this will be their first experience working at a crab feed, including Cindy Puccinelli, Lucy Lawrence, Jessica Moran, Brook Llanez and Sandra Benetti. As Moran said, “We’re all ready and willing to help.”

The entire club is determined to make sure this event is efficient and fun. For the first time the club will open the doors early, at 5:30 p.m., one hour before the dinner is served.

“We’ve heard from many of our customers,” said Toni Thomas, the club’s past president, “that they’d like to come early, settle in, have a few beverages and check out the raffle and auction items before dinner. We’ve acted on that request.”

Rotarians involved in the event believe in the Rotary motto, “Service above Self.” Although the motto refers to community service, it also appropriately applies to customer service at the crab feed.

All 34 Los Banos Rotarians hope this year’s event will be their most successful crab feed ever.

More good news: Like the crab feed, two popular Los Banos Arbor Day in-person events return this spring, once again on the first Friday of March.

This year’s City of Los Banos Arbor Day Celebration, at 4 p.m. on March 4, will be at Crest Hills Park (700 Pioneer Road). And the Milliken Museum Arbor Day Breakfast returns that same day from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Los Banos Community Center. Tickets are available for $8.00 from Milliken Museum Society, for either eat-in or takeout.

Both events provide opportunities for Los Banosans to return to what they had been doing, while celebrating trees and all they do for the city’s quality of life.

John Spevak wrote this for the Los Banos Enterprise. His email is john.spevak@gmail.com.

This story was originally published February 18, 2022 at 4:07 PM.