Chow down
Hampton Beach hosts Lobster Roll Eating Competition
Imagine eating 22 lobster rolls in 10 minutes. Impossible, you say? Not for Manny Cambra, the winner of last year’s Lobster Roll Eating Competition at the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival. This voracious lover of food — lobster rolls, anyway — will be returning to the festival this year to defend his title at the contest, happening Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m. on the Seashell Stage.
Contestants for this competition are by invitation only, and this year there will be eight competitors. They are invited based on past participation and their placement in other eating competitions. The first place winner at this year’s contest will receive $600, while the second and third place winners will get $250 and $150 each, respectively. The original winner’s belt is being retired this year, so the champion will receive a brand new belt and bragging rights along with the top prize.
The rules for the competition are what’s known as “picnic style,” which means the lobster rolls must be eaten in their original form — no dipping, dunking or mashing is allowed, and the lobster cannot be eaten separately from the bread. Each 5-inch hot dog roll contains 3.5 ounces of lobster meat.
All the lobster rolls for the contest are provided by McGuirk’s Ocean View Restaurant, located on Ocean Boulevard. McGuirk’s is known for its delicious lobster rolls, and, according to owner Tom McGuirk, they will be preparing 160 of them for the contest. Besides being the supplier of the lobster rolls, McGuirk is a big fan of the competition.
“I love this event,” he said. “It’s so much fun to watch. Kind of gross, but still a lot of fun.”
There are designated members of the Seafood Festival team responsible for setting up for the contest and coordinating the lobster roll pick up. Look for members of the Miss Hampton Beach entourage providing stage support as well.
“This is a great community event,” said Vicky Poland, entertainment manager for the festival. “Many of the participants are from the Seacoast area.”
The crowd of onlookers grows larger every year. These competitors are serious eaters, and watching them do what they do best is a definite highlight of the festival. Expect to see a lot of chewing, stuffing, gnawing and scoffing, among lots of cheering and some loud and lively background music. Good table manners are not part of this competition; however, if watching people devour huge quantities of food is entertainment for you, the Lobster Roll Eating Competition is an event you won’t want to miss.
Hampton Beach Seafood Festival
The Lobster Roll Eating Competition is part of the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival, a weekend of food and drinks, culinary demonstrations, live entertainment, a cornhole tournament, a road race, an artisan fair and more.
Where: Ocean Boulevard (Route 1A North), Hampton Beach. Street will be closed to vehicle traffic and transformed into a pedestrian mall. Free parking at designated locations is available, with shuttle service to the festival.
When: Friday, Sept. 9, noon to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, Sept. 11, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: $24 for full weekend, $8 per day. Digital tickets can be purchased in advance online under the “Admissions” section of the website.
More info: seafoodfestivalnh.com
Lobster Roll Eating Competition
When: Sunday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m.
Where: Seashell Stage, Ocean Boulevard, Hampton Beach
Cost: Included with admission to the Hampton Beach Seafood Festival
More info: seafoodfestivalnh.com/lobsterroll
Competitors
Manny Cambra
Molly Schuyler
Nate Gayman
Allen Wan
Chris Thurston
Alan Brien
Ryan Coon
Tom Pidgeon
—Betty Gagne
Featured photo: Courtesy photo.
