SEBASTIAN — The final day of the Sebastian Clambake Festival at Riverview Park was more than a bit damp as a constant, mostly light rain fell throughout the day. Despite the weather, though, organizers and volunteers alike remained in good spirits.
“We had a great time,” said Clambake Festival President Anjani Cirillo. She said that the weather did, however, put a damper on the foundation’s fundraising endeavor.
“It’s enough to pay the bills,” Cirillo said, with a little left over for the beneficiary groups. Those groups this year are the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, American Legion Post 189, and Sebastian Elks #2714.
On the third day of the festival, she said the organization usually takes in approximately $40,000 to $50,000 – on Sunday, they brought in an estimated $6,000.
However, Friday saw record numbers of people and ticket sales and Saturday was strong, up until about 5:30 p.m. when a strong storm blew through.
The GFWC Sebastian River Jr. Woman’s Club, which re-enacts the Castaways’ survivor camp, was also tasked with keeping their fire going throughout the event – including during the rain.
“Something’s wrong with this picture,” said Club member Teddy Hulse as two fellow members held an umbrella over the dwindling fire while they, themselves were pelted with rain drops. “We’re getting wet and we’re keeping the fire dry!”
The fire did lose its flame overnight Saturday, but Hulse said that when they unearthed the coals Sunday morning, they still had glowing embers, enough to coax new flames.
Their endeavor proved worthwhile, though, as Cirillo returned to the Castaways’ camp to return the fire to the lagoon.
Holding a singular log smoking with embers Cirillo cast the piece of wood into the lagoon, keeping true to the tradition set in 2002, when the first Clambake Festival was held.
The one year Clambake organizers didn’t cast the fire back into the lagoon – 2003 – was followed with two back-to-back hurricanes that pounded Sebastian.
“We have to keep up the tradition,” Cirillo said.
