The world’s biggest crab feast will be a crab-and-corn drive-thru this summer.
The Annapolis Rotary Club has canceled the 75th annual Rotary Crab Feast planned for August, citing ongoing concerns about the coronavirus and restrictions on large gatherings designed to slow its spread.
In an email to members by secretary Patricia Ann Mattingley, the board of directors said it met Monday and decided to postpone the sit-down feast planned Aug. 7 at Navy-Marine Corps Stadium until 2021.
“Our event this year will be focused on providing much-needed funds for our community, in the safest and simplest manner possible — recognizing the unique circumstances of this year. We will set our pricing to provide good value to our guests, but to also generate funds for charity,” the club leadership wrote. “The (Crab Feast) Committee has also recommended that we expedite the granting of awards to the early fall, ensuring the money gets in the hands of our grantees as soon as possible.”
The Rotary Club of Annapolis distributed $38,800 in grants to 23 nonprofits earlier this year from the 2019 Crab Feast.
The annual event draws thousands of people to tables set up under the stadium seats, where they feast on crabs and corn, barbecue, beer and sodas. Proceeds from are distributed to nonprofits in the community and is one of the largest single fundraisers each year in Annapolis.
The decision adds to the list of summer events canceled because of the virus. The Big Glen Burnie Carnival called off this year’s event, ending a 112-year streak. The Annapolis July 4th parade also has been canceled.
The Rotary board has given conditional approval for a “Charity Crab and Corn Event” at the stadium parking lot on Aug. 7, the planned date for the festival. Details are still being finalized, but the event is planned as a pickup for pre-sold crab and corn options cooked at the site from one dozen to a full bushel.
“We know this is not what we expected for our CF this year, but as Rotarians, we think it is very important that, in these times, we continue to do our best to support our communities as we have done for some many years,” the board wrote in the email.
