Local Firefighters to Compete for World Record
(Long Island, NY) Nassau County Legislator – Public Safety Chair Dennis Dunn and Hempstead Town Officials will join local South Shore fire department officials in a press conference tomorrow, Friday, August 14, 2015 at 2:00 PM to announce the Annual Long Island Clam Eating Contest that will take place this Sunday at the famous Peter’s Clam Bar in Island Park. Funds raised from the event will benefit local South Shore firehouses that sustained damages from Superstorm Sandy. Local fire houses and equipment were devastated as a result of the storm. International food-eating champion, Ed “Cookie” Jarvis, who holds several world records and the American record for eating 30 1/2 hot dogs in ten minutes, will be at the announcement to demonstrate competitive eating to the firefighters.
Firehouses from Island Park, Long Beach, Lakeview, Baldwin, Point Lookout and East Rockaway will send some of their best eaters to chow down on hundreds of clams to compete for cash prizes. The current World Record for clam eating is 26 dozen Cherrystone Clams in 6 minutes set at Peter’s Clam Bar in 2010.
In addition to the firehouse contest, there will be another contest open for the public with an entrance fee of $20, which will be donated to the winning firehouse. The public contest will also have cash prizes. Entrance fees for participating firefighters will be waived. Registration will be held on the day of the event.
Long Island’s history, culture and traditions are closely linked to clams. The first coastal inhabitants of New York called Long Island the “Island of Shells” in recognition of the vast numbers of clam, oyster and other shells deposited on its shore. According to the New York Seafood Council, in the 1970s more than half of the clams eaten in the United States were from Long Island. At their peak population, clams filtered 40 percent of the water within the bay and contributed over $100 million to the local economy. Peter’s Clam bar has served the Long Island community for over 75 years.
WHEN:
- 2:00 PM
Friday, August 14, 2015
WHERE:
- Peter’s Clam Bar
600 Long Beach Road
Island Park, NY
